Ugh. How disastrous is your kitchen after dinner time with LO?

[Mashi]

I am sick to death of cleaning the kitchen floor.  I should really mop it, it's getting grungy, but why bother when it will be just as grungy in another day?

I am sick to death of cleaning up the stinking floor!! Is it just my LO or does everyone else face a mess that is beyond silly at the end of dinner?  He's okay at lunch when it's just me and him, and I am feeding him things he likes and relies on.  But, dinner time is all three of us sitting down together (admittedly does get him out of sorts, with DH and I talking, DH feeding him in ways that drive DS and I bonkers, loads of food on the table, and so on and so on) as well as it being whatever we are having for dinner - so often things he doesn't like. But, it's our one concession on meals - dinner is a family thing and we all sit down together and he needs to learn that's a part of eating.  So we persevere.

But tonight there were peas and carrots and corn and rice and chicken and red peppers and bits of cheese and bread and yogurt and blah blah blah ALL OVER THE PLACE!

Is it just me?

[Shiv52]

Currently on my floor there is chicken with mashed sweet potato and tomato sauce, raisins, cheerios, pancake....and thats only from snack and dinner as we were out all morning and lunch..........so definately not the only one!!! 

It seems my LO has a policy that if she doesn't want to eat something it belong on the kitchen floor!  Sure why wouldn't it? 

And what is it with DH's feeding LOs?  Thats why the chicken dish is everywhere!! 

[clazzat]

Not just you - I was scrubbing the plum that Eloise had mashed in her hands and dropped on the floor...and totally wondering if it's worth it as breakfast will be just as messy!

[Canwi]

LOL!  Not just you Mashi.  
I have a 16 mth old and a 3.75yr old and a 36yr old - all males and all messy eaters.  It makes me absolutely nuts to have stuff on the floor.  I'm a very tactile person and the crumbs under my feet make me nuts!

I used to be anal about cleaning the floor after every meal.  Now I just run a broom over it in the morning while the little boys are in their highchairs and the big boy is at work when all the food is dry crumbs.  Once every 2 weeks I wet mop to get the dried on grunge off.

Also with you on DH's and feeding LO's!  You'd think after 2 kids that my DH would have it figured out. *sigh* Men!

[KathrynK]

you think that's messy? Wait till he tries to eat couscous 
 

[mmom]

Canwi - That is funny about your 36 yo hubby.  Mine too....lol

Kathryn - My LO eats quinoa, which is a similar consistency.  It is everywhere in our house!  In every rug, on every floor, in fat rolls, etc...lol

Yes, my floor is a mess too.  My LO is in a total throwing stage.  When he has too much on his tray, he throws it.  When he is done, he throws it.  The worst thing is, we eat at our dining room table and their is a rug under it.  Total mess.  During other meals, I roll his chair into the kitchen, so I can just sweep it up.

[mum6791]

Mine is a mess too and my dd is almost 3!  Along with all of the food we also have dried play dough and sparkles from craft play!  Cereal is the worst - wet with milk it seems to get glued to the floor!

[*Liz*]

Sometimes I think J doesn't even mean to throw it. It is just something that seems to happen totally outside of his control. His arm waves - the food flies - he looks for it and then looks at me as if to ask 'how the hell did that happen'.

So I have a messy floor too.

Fortunately it annoys DH more than me though  .

[~inbalance~]

Probably one of the better things about having a dog...cleanup crew!  But yes, my floors are a disaster too.    At least at home I don't feel bad, the worst is when we are at a restaurant!  lol  I'm always embarassed scanning nearby faces as they look at the tornado that is my son, then I ask for a dustpan before leaving knowing the waiter will always say politely "Don't worry about it" but I know they are secretly thinking "Why would you bring this child to a public place of eating?"  I proceed to thank them and apologize several times on my way out!! 

Messy floors come with the territory I guess! 

[Texomamama]

I second Martina's dog suggestion.  They are the best!  We lock ours up at mealtimes and when we are done, I let them back in and they fight each other (literally) trying to make it to the food and vacuum it up.  I don't know what we'd do without them.

[Canwi]

At least at home I don't feel bad, the worst is when we are at a restaurant!  lol  I'm always embarassed scanning nearby faces as they look at the tornado that is my son, then I ask for a dustpan before leaving knowing the waiter will always say politely "Don't worry about it" but I know they are secretly thinking "Why would you bring this child to a public place of eating?"  I proceed to thank them and apologize several times on my way out!! 

I'm with you Martina, on the restaurant thing. 
DH took the boys out for a meal with his sister one day while I was at work.  He said he couldn't believe the mess that some people leave behind them. When we leave you can see that a family has eaten there, but not the absolute pigsty that DH said he saw 2 families leave behind them.  And with NO apologies, attempts to clean up or nothing.  As DH said, "they better have left a BIG tip!!!"

We actually had a waitress say she couldn't believe how tidy it was after we finished a meal at one place - and considering what we left I hate to think what we were being compared to!