My Home Is Not A Dump Station

I had a "light bulb moment" this week...
an epiphany,
if you will...
here it is:

Sometimes a home
is mistaken for a
dumpster:
instead of slimy banana peels, wadded up napkins,
used cans of corn and empty bread bags,
there is an attitude of
fussy
whiny
ingratitude.

The realization came when I noticed
la familia
saving their "worldly trash"
for me and our home.

I became sensitive lately to it all...
my socially-polite family
goes out into the world,
functions at their best,
uses their best manners to deflect
awkwardness, rudeness, negativity
and that which isn't deflected
is brought into the front door,
dumped out.
And then--
BAM!
before I know it,
I am covered in the smudge of their lives
outside of my house.

I work hard to make my home
a place
I want to be
and
a place my family wants to be too--
and I realized I don't like it
when my family comes in and
wrecks up the peace!

So, at dinnertime last night,
I spoke to them all about their
dumping habits
and I declared that my home
is
not a Dump Station!

Truly,
I told the family how their dumping affects me
and while I am fine to listen to their trials and challenges,
as in, "I had a crummy day because....",
it is when they come home
snippy
fussy
whiny
that it's not fair to expect me to have to listen to it
and then smile back at them!
If we want our home to be a haven,
it's up to us to create it!
Hear! Hear!
"he that hath ears to hear,
let him hear!"
And you know what?
I think they listened.
Mr. Wonderful agreed that it's hard to go out into the world,
and not bring that negativity back through the front door,
but it's also true
we just don't need that stuff in here.
I'm trying to think of some visual reminder
I can put outside for the yahoos
by the front door
that will help them
leave the
"trash"
outside.
A trash can would look awful,
so I'm thinking
with my thinker
so we'll see.
Any ideas?? Hmmm??