Parenting Guru: Messy Kids are Happy Kids

Lyn Lomasi

Kids make messes. Why? Because it's fun. The clean-up isn't so great at times. But making a good mess can be quite entertaining. My kids seem to have mastered the art of mess-making from an early age.



The most messy time of all had to be when one of my kids was two years old and the other was just six months. This incident reminded me why Vaseline should be in high places when you have kids. It's also why the bathroom should be left slightly ajar if you're a mom or dad with little ones at home.

I went to the ladies room for maybe two minutes. The six month old was secure in her infant seat with some toys and the two year old was busy playing with her toys on a blanket. Keeping kids busy usually prevents mischief. But not this time.

I came out of the restroom to discover two kids with Vaseline from head to toe - in the hair, all over the clothes, and yes, in between the toes. The two year old decided putting Vaseline all over them both was a fun game. Back in the bathroom I went - but not for me. It took a good amount of time to get the Vaseline out of their hair. I never did get all the grease spots out of the clothes.

This was a major mess for me to clean up. But both girls were giggling and having a blast. Case in point: "messy kids are happy kids." Another of my kidsonce used a mess to inspire me. Imagine that. I'm not saying we should all let our kids get into the Vaseline or fall into a mud pile. But when those unavoidable messes do happen - and they will - a little laughter can help you get it all cleaned up.

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Lyn is a freelance web journalist, the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network, and a Y! Shine Parenting Guru. She's also the founder of Write W.A.V.E. Media, parent company to LifeSuccessfully.com and several others. She enjoys publishing freelance writers and supports advocacy through journalism. She has been published all over the web with major media companies, as well as smaller businesses and organizations. Contact Lyn for guidance in the world of freelance writing.

Lyn on Twitter: @LynLomasi