I really want to get on board with this sidewalk chalk movement. The boys and I took a walk yesterday and it was so nice to see all the sweet messages written to make others feel better in this dark time. The problem is, I really really hate chalk.

The feel of it, the dust; inhaling and tasting even a little of it makes me want to gag. It makes my eyes itchy, and then I need to take a shower.

I’ll probably break down and get it eventually, but they haven’t asked and I’m not offering.

It’s definitely a sensory thing for me; I also hate glitter and Play-doh.

Another of my many weaker qualities is disciplining my kids. If they do receive a punishment, I very rarely follow through with it because I’m a sucker for their big brown puppy-dog eyes.

However, the one time I held steady was when they had a Play-doh Cookie Monster set with about 7,000 pieces that they NEVER cleaned up after playing with it.

I had the brilliant idea of telling them that if I had to clean it up one more time … if I had to pick dried Play-doh out of the rug one more time … I was giving it away.

So the next time they begged to play with it, I obliged and sat watching … waiting as they proceeded to:

1. Dump all 7,000 pieces on the kitchen table.

2. Empty every single Play-doh container and moosh all the colors together (my OCD going off the charts.)

3. Play for 10 minutes and fight over the orange plastic scissors the whole time.

4. Run away and leave the mess for me.

This time I wasn’t angry though. This time I welcomed the opportunity to be a good disciplinarian for once. I followed through on my threat.

Before you label me a cruel mother, I did give them one more chance. I yelled upstairs:

“Hey guys! If you don’t clean up this Play-doh, I’m giving it away!”

Nothing.

“I’m warning you … I’m really going to do it this time!”

Nothing.

Buh-bye Cookie Monster 👋

They didn’t even care.

And I never had Play-doh in my house again.