Monday, April 30, 2007

Why not?

We all know they're gimmicks, but sometimes, when you're exhausted and stumbling through Wal-mart, it just sounds like the perfect thing, exactly what you need.....and you buy it. Such was my little vacuum thing. I don't remember the actual name of it. I'm sure it'll come to me and I'll come update. The trek to my broom cupboard is beyond me right now.

There really are moments when I have a small pile of decimated goldfish crackers/cereal/chips/dry play-doh on the carpet, and I don't want to drag out the huge vacuum for the mess. Obviously I need one of these little sweepers. Now, I have a dust-buster. Which is designed precisely for that situation, but it's at the other house, which is a whole two blocks away, I would have to remember where it is, go get it, and then clean up my mess, which is even more complicated then taking the big vacuum out of the hall closet. So, all that to say, I purchased this little handy, dandy sweeper thingy with the disposable sticky things that pick up nasty crud.

One of the advantages of this sticky sweeper method, is that you see, up close and personal, how much truly nasty stuff is in your carpet when you pull out the sticky thing (And, yes, that's the technical term) to throw it away. (Which usually makes you realize that you probably should have used the big vacuum with actual suction power to begin with, but that's not the point here.)

Anyway, all that to say that I've discovered one more use for this little gimmi...errr...sweeper. If you take the middle two links out, it's perfectly sized for young toddlers, and since they decimated the goldfish crackers/cereal/chips/dry play-doh in the first place, it's only just and fair. (And fun to watch, in a fiendish sort of way.)


4 comments:

Eshtemoa said...

Ha ha! Exactly. I do this with my students. Only the BEST ones get to use the little vaccuum cleaner... and the dusting rags and cleaning spray. For the computers they use those thick paintbrushes, and dry cloths. If they are REALLY good, they get to sweep up the dry leaves under the plants and put fresh water in the animal tanks. They love to do it, and our classroom is spotless :-)

JAM said...

That's the ticket! Teach 'em that work is fun, that work is a privelege only for the best little kids.

When I was in seventh grade, my science teacher was a master at this. We all fought for the honor of washing her chalk boards with water and a car washing sponge. I realize she had us for lunch that year, but it STILL seems fun looking back. It was fun.

Johanna said...

My boys use to fight over sweeping our wood floor in the hall and kitchen. We had a swifer(until it broke)a neighborhood bank gave it to us as "a welcome to the neighborhood" gift.

Qtpies7 said...

Good job, momma! make 'em earn their keep!