Cooper's solution

While Jared and Jake were on a cold and wet scout camp out last night at Silver Falls, the other kids had fun playing in every room of the house. Counter to my usual OCD nature, I actually ignored the mess when we went to bed and left it for the next morning.

After the kids got dressed and had breakfast, I asked all three of them (Cooper, Karcyn and Calvin) to please clean the living room mess which consisted of mostly big duplo legos and stacking blocks as well as the decorative couch pillows, strewn all over the floor. I had to remind them a few times to clean up.

Finally, on my way to the other end of the house, I walked past the living room to see Cooper kicked back, lounging on the couch, typing in an exaggerated fashion on a calculator in his hand. At the same time, Karcyn and Calvin were working together to clean up the mess in stiff, jerky movements.

I stopped midstride as I assessed the situation. I narrowed my eyes and peered at Cooper.

He responded with melodramatic innocence and smiled knowingly. "What?? They're my robots and I've programmed them to clean up the mess."

I decided not to dignify the situation with a response and proceeded to leave the room.

I don't know what disturbs me more. The fact that Cooper would take advantage of his siblings and concoct such a scheme. Or that it worked.