There it waits; mouth wide open begging to be filled like a baby bird needing nourishment. But they ignore its pleas and take care of their own needs while it stays empty, waiting for someone to notice.

The dishwasher. Instead of putting those dirty dishes in the sink, why can’t they put them in the dishwasher? It’s my constant complaint to the teens in my life, who rush so quickly to feed themselves so they can get back to their pressing task it prevents them from taking two seconds to pivot their waist 90 degrees to place the dish or cup in the dishwasher instead of the sink.

I must sound like a mosquito to them – that annoying whir right next to their ear they just swat away and forget. It’s not difficult to figure out if the dishes are dirty. The machine is usually empty or only holding the couple dishes I have put in there. A messy kitchen is the bane of my existence.

One way I can be assured I’ll start any day on a happy note is if the kitchen is tidy when I get up in the morning, which requires it be clean when I go to bed the night before. Over the summer I rarely woke up to a clean kitchen because the kids stayed up late and had a penchant for midnight cooking. It was not a happy summer for me. But now they are back to school and except for weekends, when I don’t cook anyway, my morning happiness has been reinstated.

Sunday evening, hearing chaos, I peeked into the kitchen. There were dishes in the sink and the kids were slicing up a watermelon. I directed them to put it away and not leave it sitting on the counter to attract fruit flies. One has had two years of college, the other two are seniors in high school. Surely they can figure out how to put a watermelon away.

As I was getting ready for bed, I went to the kitchen to get some water. They did indeed stash the watermelon in the fridge, but left the counter spattered with drippings and small chunks that fell off during the process of cutting it. It was a like when our cat catches a rodent, eats it, but leaves the entrails for us to pick up.

Really? Do I need to spell it all out for them? Don’t they know or care that watermelon juice will dry and create a sticky mess overnight? Must I always point out the obvious?

The answer to my question is obvious – yes. They are teens (one just twenty) and I do have to always give detailed instructions if I want something done time after time, like putting their dishes in the dishwasher. Every day. Every time. Every task.

So for the sake of my morning mood, I loaded the dishwasher, started it, wiped the counters and washed the pots and pans. Normally, I would call them back to finish the job, but they were in bed already because it was a school night.

Tonight when we’re sitting at dinner, I will tell them of their disgrace and remind them we are a family and cleaning up after themselves is their job, not mine. They will smile and assure me they will do better in the future.

However, I know and they know what’s behind those smiles; the next watermelon they butcher will be left on the counter, along with the splashes and pieces and the dishes will still be in the sink at the end of the weekend.

I think watermelon season is over.

Gretchen Leigh is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Covington. You can read more of her writing and her daily blog on her website livingwithgleigh.com or on Facebook at “Living with Gleigh.” Her column is available every week at maplevalleyreporter.com under the Lifestyles section.