Mildew the Clean-Up Fairy

I love Mildew.

It’s not what you think.

The last few weeks, my kids have taken trashing the house to a new level. Being home five days a week, they tend to scatter toys, laundry, recycling, whatever they can get their hands on all over the house. It’s a parent’s nightmare trying to keep the house cleaned up.

Enter Mildew.

Mildew became my new friend Tuesday night, after 20 frustrating minutes of trying to get my kids to help pick up anything. I finally sighed and looked up at my husband. “I think we’re just going to have to call the Clean-Up Fairy,” I said.

My daughter’s ears perked up. “A fairy?”

“Oh yes, the Clean-Up Fairy comes to kids’ houses when they don’t pick up their toys,” I rambled. “She gives the toys to kids who don’t have any.”

She was intrigued. “What’s her name?”

Name? “Um, Mildew,” I said.

“What does she drive?”

“She doesn’t drive, she flies.”

“Can I see her?”

“Oh no, she comes when we’re asleep, kind of like Santa.”

She thought for a minute, and then agreed to help pick up her toys. It was a relatively smooth process; even her 19-month-old brother toddled around, picking up his Legos and proudly dropping them in a box.

That night, Mildew did stop by and left her a postcard, thanking them for the great work they did cleaning up the toy room.

I figured Mildew would become my little trick to pull out occasionally. Little did I know that her reputation would spread.

Last night, we stopped by a neighbor’s house. My daughter’s friend was in trouble for not picking up toys and not listening - typical 4-year-old stuff. My daughter, of course, wanted to play. I rolled the dice and offered a compromise.

“Tell K. about the Clean-Up Fairy!”

She proudly did. My neighbor was excited. I asked if she wanted to stay and help her friend clean her room (which as we all know, involves a certain amount of play).

Twenty minutes later, when I came to get her for dinner, the room was clean.

Mildew is here to stay!