Every domestic engineer finds herself wondering if those new cleaning products are worth the money. For myself I have found white vinegar, and baking soda to do most of the work in my house. Occasionally I get out the Clorox bleach for strong disinfection. So I am always weary of any new products.
Recently though I have found myself rather embarrassed with the state of my carpets. My living room is home to wall to wall light pink low pile carpet. As I call it the stain magnifier. Now I rent so please don't think that my design tastes are horrible, it came this way. I am a fan of the neutral colors. I told my partner I needed to try and get up the stains on the carpet. I have used foaming carpet cleaners before and they work for some stains. I went to the store and what should I see on sale this week, Wool lite Carpet Stick. Now I realize this is nothing more than a brush with a handle but I will say I am impressed.
I am normally one to avoid new gadgets. I try to keep cleaning simple so its not over welming. So purchasing this gadget with its chemical cleaner was far outside of the norm for me. I had two rather larger and noticeable stains on the carpet in the living room. One was from chocolate milk the other was a "mystery" stain. You know the stain no one knows how it got there or what is was. So I went for it. I put the stick together and followed the directions. The first thing a user does is put the can upside down in the base of the stick and "unlock" the stick. Then turn the stick with the brush side up and pull it backwards across the carpet. Now I don't know about everyone else but in the past using a canned carpet cleaner getting even application was difficult. With the design of the stick it applies and even amount of cleaner over the stain.
The next step is "locking" the stick and turning it over with the brush down. Now is time for elbow grease to go to work. Scrubbing the carpet was always one aspect of spray cleaners I hated. It would get on my hands and in my face. I have also used a sponge mop of carpet cleaners. Not this time, the stick has a stiff bristled brush on back. The handle is strong enough to really get to scrubbing. While I was scrubbing I could tell that the cleaner was working. These stains have been there for months. At one point I had a rug over them. I scrubbed each stain of about 5 minutes.
The final step is to allow the cleaner to dry. I let it dry over night and vacuumed the area the next morning. While the stains weren't gone completely I could tell a significant difference in the color of the stains.
I then went into my bed room where the carpet is WHITE!!! I went to work on some chocolate milk stains. Here I was impressed as well. My partner could see the difference. I was pleased with the results the combo of the stick and the cleaner together.
I will say the Wool lite carpet stick isn't a steam cleaner. Its not a Rug doctor in anyway. I actually love the rug doctors because they do in fact work so well but renting professional equipment isn't practical for every day applications. I have also wanted a carpet cleaner for my home but the sheer size and mess of those are intimidating. Again something I wouldn't mind having for a few times a year but not something I would want to use for a minor spill or the area in front of the door.
It would seem the Wool lite carpet stick is filling a niche between an bi annual steam clean and inexpensive canned carpet cleaners. Not a bad place to be for those us who don't like scrubbing carpets on our hands and knees or want to get out a 30lb carpet cleaner. I would say give it a try it would be well worth it.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Behind every Great Man is a Great Woman.
I realize this statement comes from an era when women were supposed to be happy to stay at home and do mundane tasks. Our representation in public was through our men. No longer do women have to do this and its a most wonderful thing we have this option. Yet staying at home and running the house we have an obligation to help our men be great. After all they are a reflection of us and we a reflection of them.
This morning wasn't a normal morning in my home. My partner got up this morning to go to a job interview. If I am going to advance financially its imperative that he do well in the working world. It is in my best interest that he look and act his very best. If his clothes are wrinkled, is stressed out, or worse just plain distracted by what happens at home there's not much of a chance he'll succeed in landing that coveted job.
While he's highly qualified for the job position he wanted, he couldn't have walked out that door without my encouragement. While he was getting ready I was trying to iron his favorite "interview" pants. As a side note there really needs to be an easier way to iron kakhi. Yet it was stressful, he was rushing around gathering documents searching for info ect. He was concerned that this job wasn't going to happen. I remained calm. I couldn't possibly cause problems for him as he had enough to think about.
So when he returned he told he drove 80mph and got to his interview 3 minutes before he was supposed to be there. He went into his interview room and gave the interview of a life time. He said it was a whirl wind because when he got back the family was going camping. He said he did alright.
I am pretty convinced that he wouldn't have tried as hard for this particular job if the he was a single male without childern and a woman. we shall see if my efforts to get him out on this interview payed off. I have been down the interview road before with him and nothing came of it.
This morning wasn't a normal morning in my home. My partner got up this morning to go to a job interview. If I am going to advance financially its imperative that he do well in the working world. It is in my best interest that he look and act his very best. If his clothes are wrinkled, is stressed out, or worse just plain distracted by what happens at home there's not much of a chance he'll succeed in landing that coveted job.
While he's highly qualified for the job position he wanted, he couldn't have walked out that door without my encouragement. While he was getting ready I was trying to iron his favorite "interview" pants. As a side note there really needs to be an easier way to iron kakhi. Yet it was stressful, he was rushing around gathering documents searching for info ect. He was concerned that this job wasn't going to happen. I remained calm. I couldn't possibly cause problems for him as he had enough to think about.
So when he returned he told he drove 80mph and got to his interview 3 minutes before he was supposed to be there. He went into his interview room and gave the interview of a life time. He said it was a whirl wind because when he got back the family was going camping. He said he did alright.
I am pretty convinced that he wouldn't have tried as hard for this particular job if the he was a single male without childern and a woman. we shall see if my efforts to get him out on this interview payed off. I have been down the interview road before with him and nothing came of it.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Failing your child with the reward of success
At one point or another all parents will find themselves in a situation that doesn't ignite pride but instead ignites a need to defend your child's need to know they failed. It may be that one day your child comes home from school with an A on paper they you can clearly see isn't A work. It might be that your child was supposed to earn enough stickers to go to a class party and didn't but went anyway. Too often childern are rewarded when they haven't preformed to a certain level. These times are when parents truly need to step up and ask why?
I found myself in this strange situation a few weeks ago. My three year old son had been attending AWANAS at a local church. AWANA's uses bible verse memorization and group activities to engage childern in the life of Christ. Children who memorize bible verse units are rewarded with patches to put on a vest. Since August my son and I had been working on a near weekly basis doing bible study and memorization. I was amazed that he could spit out two or three verses a week, he was just barely three when we started. After 10 months of working he had completed all of the bible verses for his age group and thus completed his first work book. The reward was a small bear to attach to his vest. He had even finished early and was very excited about getting his first book award. I was excited to because for the first time in his life he had done a group activity and in the process accomplished the monumental task of memorizing nearly 100 bible versus.
It was an evening earl this June when we showed up to the award ceremony. He was excited he was finally going to receive his award. We arrived just in time for it to start. His age group was going to go second after the 2 year olds. Finally, the big moment had arrived. He was up on stage. Things kicked off with a song and then one by one each child was called to recieve their award. They first when through all of the First year awards and my son's name wasn't called. I had assumed since we were a bit late that things were out of order. Then they called the second year awards. Then finally the announcer said "And this years participation award goes to Nathan J. For participating in Cubbies". I was very confused at this point. My son didn't just participate in cubbies. He and I had put forth a lot of effort to earn his patches. He had all of his patches so why then didn't he get his first year award.
Nathan asked where his bear was and I told him we'd have to go talk to someone. I didn't really know what was happening. My first thought was because my family didn't attend this church on a weekly basis that we weren't allowed to get the Full award. Then I realized that wasn't the right way to think about things the first church we attended for AWANA's had a lot of participants who didn't attend on a weekly basis. I left the auditorium and started gathering my questions. I found one of his class room teachers and asked why he didn't get his first year award and she said he didn't know the versus. He wasn't their enough. My heart boiled with furry. Not because my son hadn't accomplished this task but because no one told me he wasn't preforming in class. In fact they were rather insistent that I bring his book so he could get his patches. I was upset that everyone acted as though things were fine my son was being rewarded for half way doing things. That wasn't okay with me. Either my child makes an "A" or he doesn't. I couldn't believe that was happening even at church.
I actually had to leave and sit in the car I was so upset. My son and I had nearly 3 full weeks to review and work on any versus he didn't know and none of his teachers told me. Like I said he was already given his patches. For three weeks i was under the impression that things were fine. After the ceremony was over I found the coordinators for his age group and tried as hard as possible to remain calm. I asked her why my son had his patches for the versus he'd learned if hadn't actually done them class. Why was under the impression for nearly a month that my child had done the work needed to earn those patches. Honestly at this point I didn't want my son to even have a vest full of patches he didn't earn. The coordinator didn't really know what I was talking about. She was actually impressed that my son had gotten things done. She said there had been a mix up and some of the kids didn't get the right awards. Additionally there was confusion over who had actually finished their books. That explanation was fine with me. It didn't change the fact my son was recognized in front of every as only as a participant but I can let that go.
I had found myself having to take up for my son's possible failure. It was a strange place to be to say the least. I can only imagine what it will be like later on if he goes to school. I expect those who are in charge of son and his education be it religious or academic tell me when he isn't doing superior work. I wouldn't dare be hurt by it in the least. In fact I would be very appreciative. I would be empowered to help my child succeed at a later time.
I found myself in this strange situation a few weeks ago. My three year old son had been attending AWANAS at a local church. AWANA's uses bible verse memorization and group activities to engage childern in the life of Christ. Children who memorize bible verse units are rewarded with patches to put on a vest. Since August my son and I had been working on a near weekly basis doing bible study and memorization. I was amazed that he could spit out two or three verses a week, he was just barely three when we started. After 10 months of working he had completed all of the bible verses for his age group and thus completed his first work book. The reward was a small bear to attach to his vest. He had even finished early and was very excited about getting his first book award. I was excited to because for the first time in his life he had done a group activity and in the process accomplished the monumental task of memorizing nearly 100 bible versus.
It was an evening earl this June when we showed up to the award ceremony. He was excited he was finally going to receive his award. We arrived just in time for it to start. His age group was going to go second after the 2 year olds. Finally, the big moment had arrived. He was up on stage. Things kicked off with a song and then one by one each child was called to recieve their award. They first when through all of the First year awards and my son's name wasn't called. I had assumed since we were a bit late that things were out of order. Then they called the second year awards. Then finally the announcer said "And this years participation award goes to Nathan J. For participating in Cubbies". I was very confused at this point. My son didn't just participate in cubbies. He and I had put forth a lot of effort to earn his patches. He had all of his patches so why then didn't he get his first year award.
Nathan asked where his bear was and I told him we'd have to go talk to someone. I didn't really know what was happening. My first thought was because my family didn't attend this church on a weekly basis that we weren't allowed to get the Full award. Then I realized that wasn't the right way to think about things the first church we attended for AWANA's had a lot of participants who didn't attend on a weekly basis. I left the auditorium and started gathering my questions. I found one of his class room teachers and asked why he didn't get his first year award and she said he didn't know the versus. He wasn't their enough. My heart boiled with furry. Not because my son hadn't accomplished this task but because no one told me he wasn't preforming in class. In fact they were rather insistent that I bring his book so he could get his patches. I was upset that everyone acted as though things were fine my son was being rewarded for half way doing things. That wasn't okay with me. Either my child makes an "A" or he doesn't. I couldn't believe that was happening even at church.
I actually had to leave and sit in the car I was so upset. My son and I had nearly 3 full weeks to review and work on any versus he didn't know and none of his teachers told me. Like I said he was already given his patches. For three weeks i was under the impression that things were fine. After the ceremony was over I found the coordinators for his age group and tried as hard as possible to remain calm. I asked her why my son had his patches for the versus he'd learned if hadn't actually done them class. Why was under the impression for nearly a month that my child had done the work needed to earn those patches. Honestly at this point I didn't want my son to even have a vest full of patches he didn't earn. The coordinator didn't really know what I was talking about. She was actually impressed that my son had gotten things done. She said there had been a mix up and some of the kids didn't get the right awards. Additionally there was confusion over who had actually finished their books. That explanation was fine with me. It didn't change the fact my son was recognized in front of every as only as a participant but I can let that go.
I had found myself having to take up for my son's possible failure. It was a strange place to be to say the least. I can only imagine what it will be like later on if he goes to school. I expect those who are in charge of son and his education be it religious or academic tell me when he isn't doing superior work. I wouldn't dare be hurt by it in the least. In fact I would be very appreciative. I would be empowered to help my child succeed at a later time.
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