Is it normal for your kids to inspect the trash? Should I have to “hide” trash in the trash can when I throw it away?

“Throw it away, please!” I constantly remind the children. I’ve been trying to teach them to be little helpers by throwing trash in the trash can rather than just throwing it down for me to pick up and throw away.

And now that they have an awareness of the trash can, instead of little helpers, I have trash inspectors!

It’s not enough for them just to place their trash in the trash can!

No, they have to review and evaluate the contents of the trash can every time they throw something away.

And if they find something they don’t think should be in there, then they immediately report it to me or even remove it from the trash can assuming I must have mistakenly dropped it in there!

So, where on the trash can does it say “Recycle“?

I mean, if it’s in there, I meant for it to be in there!

But when they throw something away, they want to look and see what else is in there.

And then I have to be cross-examined by pre-schoolers in regard to the contents of the trash can and my intentions for placing certain items of “trash” in the trash can.

“Why is the picture I colored at school today in the trash?” Kenzie asks indignantly.

“What’s my whistle doing in the trash?” Kaleb demands to know.

“Poppy, my chalk got in the trash!” Kenzie keenly observes.

“Look Poppy, I found that McDonald’s Happy Meal toy that makes the loud laughing noise in the trash!” Kaleb excitedly exclaims.

Then they have the nerve to remove their discovery from the trash can and mount it back on the refrigerator door or return it to the toy bin naively believing it was thrown in the trash by accident!

Now, I suppose that what’s considered as “trash” may be perceived differently by different members of our family. Perhaps the owners of the so-called “trash” have a closer connection to it and fondness for it than do the picker-uppers of the “trash.”

And, I admit that I may occasionally throw away some of their “important” papers from school or their broken or unused or annoying toys, but does that give them the right to inspect the trash every time they throw something away?

And, does that mean that I should have to hide trash underneath other trash in order to throw something away?

Because that’s what I do! And I still get caught!

So, why should I have to feel guilty when I throw things away?

Why should I have to excavate through spoiled banana peels and last night’s dinner scraps to situate the trash I am throwing away so that it is hidden from view?

And then, why should I have to wash and scrub my hands and arms up to my elbows just because I put some trash in the trash can?

Aren’t there enough other things around the house that they are not supposed to get into without them pilfering through the trash?

Trying to teach them to throw it in the trash can instead of throwing it down? Forget about it!

Now I want them to stay out of the trash can. So, instead of gently reminding them to throw their trash away, I find myself ordering them: “Just throw it away and quit digging around in the trash can!”

In fact, forget all that business about being my little helpers. How about you just throw your trash down on the floor and I’ll pick it up later and throw it away…