what lasting reflex or thought patterns do you still have from being in The Home?
For myself, I can still get startled awake if the overhead light gets turned on while I am sleeping. I graduated in 1974, and this is one thing that I still carry. Another is if I hear certain names or more accurately nick names being spoken in a crowded room or on TV, I feel the tingle and I also feel a compulsion to look around for that guy. (Yes, all male school back then.)
Grant 74
Of course - this is good if you live somewhere without sidewalks
(which I try to avoid - my suburban life is minutes from the city - i couldn't go further than that)
The reason they don't clean their room is because they know your going to come in and do it for them.
My husband calls me lazy, I call it teaching my children to take care of things if I die. My children can cook, clean, pay bills, shop, change oil, vaccinate horses, feed calves, raise and clean chickens, garden, barter, sew, do plumbing, electrical, and carpentry work, and most importantly, if they don't know how to do something, they either find someone to teach them or look it up in a book.
Our goal as parents is to make our children productive members of society, who rely on themselves.
I have a greater issue... If it cannot be done completely "right", then I do nothing. To avoid the clutter - I leave the house.
All of my floors are done without a mop - mops don't get corners. Either my clothes are perfectly in the drawer - underwear perfect folded, socks lined up by color or I just dump them in the hampers downstairs.
I really needed to hire a cleaning person because I was travelling 100%. But the thought finding the molding not dusted just gets me into a tizzy.
My husband would prefer that I vacuum every day (we all know how to do that) but I cringed when I saw him not do the pattern.
Sinks must be scoured!
My big MHS couples therapy issue - TOAST! I know you all know - the corners must be buttered. Also, don't let the toast get cold before buttering. My husband does not even attempt to make toast.
It drives me insane when folks cannot just get out of bed and get going!
Lastly, busy hands are happy hands. What are kids for - running up and down the stairs for you.
Phillipa '89
yes I am a compulsive cleaner cant stand knick knacks, dust, floors that are not vacuumed correctly with the lines matching across, floors must be mopped around the edges first. I cant stand to have a dish in the sink just sitting there taunting me... and of course yard work cant have a dandilion and the edging must be done first as well as perfect circles around the trees.... Yes I do resent the Myricks, but I do have to say "cleanliness is next to Godliness thats about as close as you'll ever get" yeah I still get offeneded when I hear or even think of those comments.
I wake up at 5:30am, 7 days a week, whether I have to work or not.
I am always the first person to arrive for job meetings....118 swats will teach a kid not to be late to school!
I love hiking....Glendale to Senior Hall was a nice hike.
I still raid the pantry at 2am, but now I can turn on the kitchen lights.
I don't know how to cook for less than 15 people.
I make packing lists when we go on vacations.
My 8 year old daughter is on a merit system. She doesn't have play clothes seperate from school clothes, but she does have play shoes that she must change into after school.
Other than that I've tried to drop the habits as bad memories of my control freak houseparents. I don't care if my bed is ever made or if the bathroom ever gets cleaned.
As long as the family is together I'm happy.
I wake up at 5:30am, 7 days a week, whether I have to work or not.
I am always the first person to arrive for job meetings....118 swats will teach a kid not to be late to school!
I love hiking....Glendale to Senior Hall was a nice hike.
I still raid the pantry at 2am, but now I can turn on the kitchen lights.
I don't know how to cook for less than 15 people.
I make packing lists when we go on vacations.
My 8 year old daughter is on a merit system. She doesn't have play clothes seperate from school clothes, but she does have play shoes that she must change into after school.
Other than that I've tried to drop the habits as bad memories of my control freak houseparents. I don't care if my bed is ever made or if the bathroom ever gets cleaned.
As long as the family is together I'm happy.
really alike in soooo many ways. I am still doing my dresser exactly like I did at MHS. We are one anal bunch. To this day I still have work cloths, house cloths, nice going to party cloths and wedding /funeral cloths. 8 different pairs of shoes. My butt hurts thinking of all the idiosyncrasies I still have from MHS. I still make sure the fork is on the left with the knapkin and knife and spoon on the right. 
unc
I have several of those bins which my ex had done that with....she kindly left them for me to dig through and sort out. At least I will make a little bit of money when I sell of it to the second hand store. Probably like $10.00....but as Doug McKenzie used to say, "Ten bucks is ten bucks ah?!"
I put mine in big plastic bins and store them in the basement. That way it is alot easier to find them later (helps if you put masking tape on the bin and mark it)
Yep Gibbles, not to mention, why use up all that drawer/closet space when you don't have to?
I do admit though that sometimes it's difficult to remember where exactly I put the winter/summer clothes to get them out of the way! So if I could recall where I put my mind......I'd be set! 
Cyn - I do the change of seasons too. And yes, it does make more sense doesn't it? So much easier to find stuff.
Laureen - talk about songs....Who was there when George Michael came out with "I want your sex" and we could only hear "I want your love" at the dance that year?
My sinks are always scrubbed and shined. We have "Saturday is Chore Day"
I pull out the green scrubby and lava soap to clean my pots.
The overhead light always wakes me up too.
I am the queen of 10 minutes showers, that's when I shave my legs, otherwise it's a 5 minute shower.
Tree and Mare relate to this one. My initial reaction is to laugh when someone gets hurt. Then I usually call them "Dummy, Idiot, or Stupid".
Another phrase that comes out of my mouth is: "You just peanut buttered with the wrong person" (I wrote the swear word just to see what it's replaced with in red letters)
The songs "Big Balls" and "Baba O'Riley" automatically bring me back to the night I hooked out to see Eric Porteous.
When I hear a siren I visualize Lucy Fry rolling down the hill near the Mansion, because we thought the police were after us when we ran away.
OMG Gibbles, I guess I do too! 
But it just makes sense! And I change it with the seasons. The shorts go up in the winter.....we lived in the south for a long time and it took forever to get my kids to not wear the shorts in the dead of a NY winter when we lived there! and then swap them out again and put up the sweaters and warmer clothing in the summer months. I guess that IS a milt thing! And I still get the urge to do the new clothes thing for school but that was something that was done before I went to MHS too, just uglier (yes, I mean it, uglier) clothing.
I was trying to think the other day as my closet was overflowing how that was we were allowed 2 sunday dresses, so many school clothes, house clothes, play clothes, barn clothing, and shoes, one for school, one for church, slippers and houseshoes (of course).
I do make a list when I go on trips, remember those packing lists? I am not anal about them as those lists were! But they help alot and if it's on the list I don't forget it!
And I have seen this in other milts, those that grad and those that didn't......
The napkin goes IN the lap before every meal.
Vacuum in V pattern (TREE! Remember this? I still can't get this through to my kids though)
That's about it though.... I think
The Steelers are the best
Jack my kids would hate living with you.
i am pick about things but im not a slave driver. i guess its cause i remember how much time we spent clean i dont want my kids doing the same..
linda your right shuting there doors is a good idea, They dont do there wash yet but maybe i should have them start.
laura i do clean my floors with rags i hate mops they dont work and they just push the dirt away.
vicki i also bleach my sink alot. my youngest loves doing dishes but she always breaks things and i put a stop to that.
Well I never got the neat bug while I was there so the whole room thing...forget it. Probably why I stayed in trouble on that end. Whenever "lates" were given for Friday's I knew I wouldn't get it..if I made it out on Friday at all
I do admit still cleaning floors on my hands and knees though. If I am going to clean, why leave dirt behind?
I like my sink to smile back at me. Every once in awhile I will brillo it then scrub it with comet then rinse really good. Then I fill it up with hot hot water and put bleach and let my drain board sit in it. After the drain board is done I take a towel and wipe it nice and shiney clean. But it will shine for awhile like that with just a quick wipe out with a towel. You can tell when my daughter was the last one in the sink. There are food bits and the dishpan is full of water 
I also find it almost impossible to just do a few dishes. If I'm doing one then I'm doing them all and cleaning the sink and wiping the stove.
Don’t laugh but does anyone do this…… After I am done dishes and I want the sink to shine I put a towel over the faucet and turn on the hot water to steam the inside for a minute then turn off the water and wipe it to shine. Do I need help???? I also never clean with a mop and always mow a perfect circle around trees. Still can’t pass by a cow without thinking about milking those suckers….
You name it i still do it, wake up 5:40 am, no matter what. Can be shower, dressed and out of the house in 20 mins still. Kids call for a ride, and are not there waiting to be picked up, i leave them (walking distance is anything with in 40 minute).
Chores, yes they have them. Punisment is give in hours of work, or dishes (after i take the allowence away).Dishes include the counters, stove, trash and floor. Before and After crews, 2 set table and do dinner prep. 2 do clean up after.
Eating at a table , No elbows allowed on the table. don't hang up a towel to dry, you just brought the right to fold laundry 1 hour first affence, 1+2 for second, 3+3 for the 3rd,ect. matter of fact this is done for almost every repeated affence.
Thier rooms are thiers, if door is open it must be presentable, if close i say nothing...
But my most instilled behaivor is the lawn... edge first, trim then mow... nothing missed, no skips allowed, and God forbid if the kids do it and leave a skip or two, they just volanteered for the next time it needs to be done....
i can wash dishes 10 times a day but i hate washing the silverware. my kids are always looking for spoons. the thing i do the most is i dont use a mop i dont think they clean as good. and i hate triming and cuting grass..i love planting flowers .
I was putting away clothes the other day and realized that I have Milt drawers. Shirts in one, pant/shorts in other/ under things in another and everything has to be folded just right to fit the drawer. This thread popped into my mind. I also can't start the dishes and not finish all of them. Even if I don't have time. I start out thinking...let me just wash this couple to get them out of the way....then I turn around and I'm wiping the stove and counters with all the dishes done. hmmmmmmmmm
I hate drain boards just wash the dishes. Why do people leave things like blenders on the counter everything should have a spot or don't get it.
...you mean besides the obsessive/compulsive cleanliness, being a manners nazi, and the recurring nightmares?
I can't bear to use a mop either...I scrub floors on my hands and knees, no matter how large the floor is.
The thought of leaving my bed unmade in the morning fills me with anxiety... 
I hate clutter, it drives my family nuts because no sooner than they put a glass down than I have it snatched up and in the diswasher. Magazines and newspapers don't stand a chance in my house.
I use scalding hot water to wash dishes..my husband used to say I had asbestos fingers cause the water never bothered me..
I'm a neat freak...I admit it...
are just suppose to clean there room but half the time thats a joke and i get stuck doing it
I don't make my kids do as much as I did at the milt. Definately not making cleaning a punishment. I still don't like a lot of knick knacks. I am definately hate clutter and will throw things away if in my way.
That's why my husband doesn't bring things into the house. He is always blaming me for missing things.
They have to do chores. Manners at the table are probably the biggest thing. I only like to give them milk or water at dinner. My wife thinks I'm crazy about how to clean but why would you mop the kitchen floor.
When they are grounded. Haven't had to do that much lately. thank you God. I need to get packed so i can go visit Clint at the Virginia State Pennatentary, and give him a big hug for everyone, right before I kick his butt
I have on more than one occasion made my kids sit at the table and read. My daughter didn't do too well between school and her attitude 2 yrs ago near the end of school. That whole summer she had no music, games, tv, computer or friends. She sat at that table all summer.
as consequences....sorry kids, it's in my blood.
I was in student home Ridgeway, where the housemother had a strict rule regarding "clanging your dish" during breakfast. If you clanged your dish you got dishes, and your table head got dishes on occassion too. Which upped the punishment factor a little.
In any event if someone clangs a dish around me I still cringe and feel anxious.
Anyone who lived with me, knows I'm not the neatest person. I have clutter everywhere. A battle I have fought and lost all my life. However there are things that have stuck, patterns in the carpet when I vaccuum, putting my fork and knife at 3 o'clock when I'm finished with my dinner, usually only at restaurants so the servers know i'm finished or at banquets etc. dust is a common thing in my house. I feel life is short, i can clean another day! tee hee however I did clean the crap out of my kitchen the other day, including some good old milt kettle scrubbing as I made sheppard's pie and creamed corn for a milt friend on thursday. Of course I baked it in a milt kettle and then i had to make it shine.
!