Lynda Loveland: File 13

You know the file I’m talking about. The one where you put about 75 percent of your kids papers and art projects.

Aww come on, I know you do it too! You gotta! There’s no room for everything!

I save the good stuff. The stuff that means something. I have a box for each child that’s handy, so I can put it in there right away. But the rest of it, well, it either goes into the recycling bin or, dare I say, the trash.

I’ve been lazy lately. I haven’t been burying it or disguising it well enough. Twice now in the last week, my five-year-old has thrown something away only to find one of her papers. “Mom, why is my picture in the trash?”

And then the ensuing white lie. “I don’t know honey, it must have gotten mixed up with something else.” “Why is it wet?” “I don’t know, maybe it’s the bacon grease I just poured in there.”

You see, if you throw something of theirs away, you have to make sure it’s not salvageable. Otherwise they’ll dig it back out and put it on the fridge.

I’m not totally awful and unfeeling. I let each of them put up one piece of art on the fridge. I admit I like to look at it too, but there are limits.

Have you been busted by your kids for something similar?