Throwaway Thursdays #2

Last week I introduced my new Guest Post feature, Throwaway Thursdays.

The idea is to bring together 3 things that we don’t like in something inside your house, something we do as humans and something in general and then throw them away similar to Room 101.

I am pleased to start the weekly feature with the lovely Hannah from Cupcake Mumma. I may be a little biased considering that she is literally my better half and has to tolerate me on a daily basis but I have been a fan of her blog for around 3 years now.

Hannah is a single parent to Midge (9) and Little A (6) and blogs about family life , Free from food and recipes and generally anything that takes her interest. I would always suggest that people go and check her out!

Now time to see what she would Throwaway this Thursday!

1. Something inside your house. It can be the latest fad that your child/ren has, a pet peeve like homework, a toy that really annoys you or for non-parents, something of your partners!

Small Pointless Toys

Lego is fine; It hurts but let's face it is awesome.  What isn't awesome and is a total pain in my arse are silly little toys. Enter Shopkins, funky erasers that kids use as toys and not for rubbing out their dodgy maths answers, Numnoms (still don't get it) and little dolls with their miniature accessories. They become clutter. They get stuck up my hoover. They stab my feet or become death traps on the stairs. While I'm at it, slime, let's banish that too please?!

2. Something we do as humans. It can be littering, swearing, bad driving or a really serious global issue.

Real Christmas Trees.

I know how awful of me! I was brought up in a house where artificial trees are nasty and real trees are all what Christmas is about. I used to love decorating our huge trees. Then the pines would fall off and the needles would jab my feet. There's no such thing as a Christmas tree that doesn't drop needles, they fall off at some point!

My biggest problem with real trees is that I LOVE trees. I even hug one every now and then (roll your eyes you may but don't knock it until you've tried it!) And where do trees belong? Not in a black bucket or a fancy stand in your front room I tell you. It has needles falling off from heat and lack of water. The smell starts to vanish and January hits and what happens? Brown lifeless once lovely trees are lining the pavements or being rammed into cars for dumping day. It makes me so sad!

I've had my fake tree for years. It's lovely and we still decorate it the same. I don't need the smell and I don't get needles in my feet (I think that's the tree getting you back by the way not just about the points previously mentioned) I also don't have a dead tree in my yard looking all sad. If you want to decorate a real try why not plant one and use it outside where it can grow? Free the trees! (It helps if you picture the Phoebe from Friends episode here where she sees trees being shredded)

Trees are for life. Not just for Christmas

3. Anything you want. It would be less fun if I completely restricted you on topics. There is always something that we might want to throw away and you never know maybe others might feel exactly the same.

Homework

My final thing for the room would be homework. I don't mind some reading. I don't mind some Maths or Spellings. My issue is with homework is the volume of it.

Every single day my children have to read an acceptable amount of pages of their books, do Maths homework and Spelling. That doesn't sound a lot to some but when they spend most of their day at school the last thing I want to do is push them for even more. They are so tired by half past 3 yet if they don't do the work they panic about getting told off. They will have to miss their playtime to catch up. I just don't think that's right.

We still do homework, but it's never willingly (unless there's a treat to work towards!) Personally I prefer projects but any projects we get are optional and come after homework. It's definitely something I would like to change but shoving it room 101 will suit me just fine too!

I love Hannah’s suggestions for what to throwaway!

I am in complete agreement with her on the small pointless toys! They always bug me and seem to gather and collect.

When I first met Hannah she told me about her thing with real Christmas trees and after listening to her, as well as her above points, I can see why it would be something that needs changing.

I am a little torn on her third option! Mostly as a teacher I would give homework but I do agree in the amount that is given to children and then how it is used and distributed; more often than not I see it being sent as just extra work and I don’t think that is particularly fair.

What do you think of her suggestions? Do you agree?

If you would like to find out more from Hannah you can visit her blog here or follow her on Twitter.