The Garbage Bag Threat

Why is cleaning up at home so hard for kids? Why is the only motivational tool a garbage bag?

I ask this many times to myself. As soon as I make the garbage bag threat the Boy jumps into action. The next time it is cleanup time I think I will cut some holes and be the garbage bag monster. Is a five year old (almost 6) to young to learn that with freedom comes great responsibility? The best part is that just about everywhere else we go he has no problem cleaning up. He sometimes just cleans up which leads me to believe he just wants to see my head explode.

In other news:

The other day we celebrated my wife's birthday. I made a cake and had everything already for when we all got home. I went and got the cake and a candle and then the Girl gave her a great present. The Girl was climbing into a chair and slipped and whacked her nose on the table, started crying then started bleeding. It was all better in a couple of minutes especially since it was cake, but between that and some of our trips to get ice cream I figure my kids are a dessert away from an accident. Many times getting ice cream we have dealt with fat lips, skinned knees or skinned elbows. So this moment fit right in, except for the fact we were at home so it was little easier to handle. This leads me to the question of just cut out yummy desserts and treats or deal with the traumas and try to keep ice cream from melting on my hand at the same time?