Clean out your car, son.

Over the weekend, it came to my attention the condition of the inside of my son's car. Now, granted I know there are worse things, but I do think it is important to teach our kids how to take care of things, which involves cleaning from time to time. He let out whelps of dismay. He offered excuses and such. None of these reasons were enough for me though. I told him that I would help him. Many times a parent can get so much more from a teenager, if they choose to work side by side rather than from a throne of power. So...I brought out the Windex and paper towels and offered to clean his windows and seats. Before I knew it, we were having a good time cleaning out the car. He even used the special attachment to get inbetween the seats. It did not take too long, in fact the time passed quickly. When we were finished, he asked if his sister had complained about the condition of his car, and I told him no, she had not said a word about it. I went on to explain to him how it is a part of life in having enough responsibility to keep a clean car. No it doesn't need to be spotless, just maintained. As a mom I feel it is my duty to show my son the difference in being a gentleman with a clean car on a date or a young man who thinks it doesn't matter. It is simply a choice. I want my son to respect himself enough that he will keep the car clean for himself and his sister, then when the date thing comes along, he will already know how to show a nice, young lady, a nice good time, that started when we cleaned the car together the other night.