Unsplash+ In collaboration with Brooke Cagle
Note: This fictional post comes from Joey, one of Alfred and Hannah’s best friends. Joey is an autodidact, which means his preferred way of learning is to ask, research, and answer his own questions. He has become the “go-to” for his friends when questions arise.
My mom has been demanding order and cleanliness these days.
It’s driving us all crazy!
So she has a new rule that we make our beds in the morning before we come down for breakfast. I think she got this idea when Hannah was over, and Hannah shared that her dad made them make their beds when they visited him all summer.
Hannah is very precise in how she makes hers, which she then described to us. Wrinkles are smoothed out on top of the bed. The sheet and comforter sides are always hanging equal length on both sides of the bed. Near the top, the sheet is folded 6 inches and is exactly in the right place to meet Hannah’s neck. She poofs up the pillow. Puts her teddy bear right in the center of the pillow.
And she makes hospital corners! I didn’t even know what they were until she showed me.
My mom heard all this, and said,
“Hannah, you’ve just given me a great idea. Joey, don’t worry because I’m not going to make you do hospital corners.”
“Phew,” I thought. I also thought, “Hannah, why did you have to open your big mouth.” I didn’t need one more thing to do in the morning. I already walk Calvin.
So what did I do?
I did me. I went straight to my laptop to find out if making the bed was something most people did.
I learned that 38% of adults make their bed every day and 16% never make their bed. I belong to the last category, except that I am not an adult, and they didn’t have data about kids making their beds. I think the numbers would be smaller.
The one piece of data I found hard to believe?
Men are 11% more likely to make their bed daily than women. That makes no sense to me. In my family, ONLY my mom cares.
Are there benefits to making your bed other than making mom happy? Google has answers for everything, and the most common answer was yes.
Yes because, supposedly:
We feel more calm with the improved order and look of the room.
We sleep better (this one I really don’t get!)
It reminds us that doing the little things matters (Note: I do lots of little things, and I know they all matter).
It reduces stress (again, not true for me).
It reminds us to set goals and achieve them (this one might be true).
How my mom and I settled the conflict
I told my mom that I thought the data was flawed and my mornings were already tight with things I HAD to do before going to school.
My mom said, “Welcome to my world. Joey, you’re growing up. Get used to ‘tight.’”
I didn’t love that answer. So I said,
“How about this… let’s compromise. I’ll make my bed on weekends, and we can have this conversation again after a month. This lets us try your new rule and see how it goes.”
My mom agreed. All was good, and it was Monday when we made the agreement. So that was extra good because I had four days of “no-making my bed” freedom.
My discovery: Bed-making might be good, but compromise is better. We will see how this unfolds as I learn how to fold my covers (practicing being Hannah with clever language use).
wow, hospital corners! I had no idea either, and I’m not a teenager!! As for the compromise: I love your teenagers, Jill, they’re so wise!