Why is reality not so fun?

I have this image of the way family life ought to be - where we engage with each other, as pairs and as an entire family, where we cooperate to get things done, where we have fun doing fun things and also doing chores.

Where everyone's teeth are brushed every night, where the homework gets done well with actual learning achieved, where we visit the library every week instead of every two months, where we don't watch Nickelodeon, where we eat vegetables. I don't feel like this is that outrageous a vision - I am not expecting Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous here, or Baby Einstein. It doesn't require a lot of money we don't have.

I keep thinking that if only I can be more energetic, find the right approach, get more organized, invest more energy, I can make this vision happen.

I suspect this is my version of Clean All the Things.

But I don't want to accept the life we currently have, of scramble and bickering and those damned fighting cats and I can't have a phone call without someone interrupting me 5 times and mr. flea took the kids to McDonald's last night because he was tired so yet another piece of plastic crap has entered my house and we don;t have the energy to actually talk to each other.

I like the alternate vision. I just can't figure out how to make it actually happen.