Just venting

[BlackPuppy]

Originally Posted by Branca's Mom

THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME .........

WHY I AM SO HAPPY TO LIVE ALL BY MYSELF!!!!

That's what I say everyday. Though these days the dogs are contributing more than their share of the mess.

Now, back to the original story. I think on the next weekend you wake up your children at 8 am and have them clean their rooms before they can do anything else. Stand by their doors with a shotgun if you have too.

You can also get each child a laundry basket and tell them if they don't wash, then they don't wear.

I know. Kids these day. What can you do!

[Lilie]

Originally Posted by angelas

I've been doing my own laundry since I could reach the buttons on the washer. I've been taking the laundry downstairs (when I lived upstairs) and sorting it since I was about 3 (mom got us early).

In our house the cook does not clean. I either cooked dinner or cleaned up after it starting at 5 years old.

My mother pretty much followed the out of sight out of mind starting at 10. Before that our rooms had to be cleaned. After that the door had better be closed if it wasn't.

Same here. If we could reach it, we could do it. There were four girls in my family. Monday - Thursday, each of us had to cook dinner one night. I hated to cook so I always made hot dogs and mac & cheese. Always...... Did you know that you can blow up a hot dog?

[angelas]

Originally Posted by Lilie

Same here. If we could reach it, we could do it. There were four girls in my family. Monday - Thursday, each of us had to cook dinner one night. I hated to cook so I always made hot dogs and mac & cheese. Always...... Did you know that you can blow up a hot dog?

Yes I did. Did you know you can burn soup?

[Lilie]

Originally Posted by angelas

Yes I did. Did you know you can burn soup?

Yes, that can be done as well !

[butch33611]

Our kids are grown and have families of their own. Now I just give dad advice. Its a lot easier but then theres the sarge. He sits in front of me wanting a treat, If I dont respond he starts this growl, then it goes to a bark. My wife says...IM SO HAPPY YOU TAUGHT HIM TO TALK!!! yep,yep,yep...the more things change....the more they stay the same.

[Ryder&SophieSue]

Well i got home a little bit ago to find my almost 12 year old daughter vacuuming...OMG, the grass was not cut...their was cat poop on the kitchen floor...I am trying to find a place for the 2 remaining kittens...They refuse to use the box...AND my house reaks of frigging cat poop...I hate the smell of cat poop...ughhh...

[tatiana]

Oooh, does this thread bring back unpleasant memories.

My dear daughter refused to clean up her room and it went on for MONTHS. Clothes everywhere by the closet. Shoes scattered, none in pairs. Socks, underwear. I also refused to launder anything and she only did the bare minimum. Food plates under the bed. Candy in the closet. I really worried about bugs and worse.

About two weeks before school let out for the summer, I gave her a FINAL warning. Wash all your clothes and put them away, clean your room which means dusting and vacuuming, or I will take DRASTIC action.

She ignored me.

So when she went to school I got busy. Washed all the clothes that were not in the closet or drawers and DONATED THEM TO GOODWILL.

She had a major temper tantrum when she got home. I didn't care. I told her if she wanted new clothes she would have to earn them by doing chores I assigned and doing them well. She threatened to call the authorities so I gave her the phone number of the local animal shelter. I don't know if she called or not.

After cooling off for a couple of days, she slowly came around and started keeping her room clean and doing assigned chores. Oh, and I didn't buy her new clothes, we went to resale shops.

She's grown up now and has the most organized closet, dresser drawers, and clean room you've ever seen. She's still mad at me about it though.

[onyx'girl]

My kids are cleaner than most. I have my 13 yr old nephew here and he made an "everything" bagel yesterday. On the counter, no paper towel or plate, then proceeded to sweep the crumbs onto the floor!!!! OMG...my sis is so laid-back so the kids are slobs and don't show respect for property(he leaned his longboard onto my car when I was picking him up, or they use their foot to shut the car door)
I clean homes for my living and most kids are slobs, bathrooms and bedrooms are bad. You'd think the parents would make them clean these rooms, but the kids are on their computers when I am there picking up after them...do kids even know how to make a bed? Mine do.

[Ryder&SophieSue]

Wow...and everyone thinks i am mean...We told the two older ones, no longer will i be doing laundry,.. i told the almost 7 yr old that i will do her laundry only when she puts it where it belongs. Other than that i don't know what chores to set and how...

[Lauri & The Gang]

Other than that i don't know what chores to set and how...

Make up a list of chores each child is CAPABLE of doing.

15 yr old can mow the lawn
7 yr old can clean the table after meals
11 yr old can wash dishes or load dishwasher

Have some chores that any of them can do -like setting the table or helping cook dinner.

Etc.

Take into consideration how long it takes to do each chore. The lawn mowing will take much longer than clearing the table so the mower gets less chores. Make sense?

Set up a schedule for how often each chore needs to be completed.

Mow lawn - weekly
Vacuum - every 3 days (or whatever)
Clean rooms - weekly

Etc.


Then sit them down and assign the age specific chores. After that allow them to SELECT other chores (from the anyone can do list) that they want to do. Tell them that all chores will be assigned so they can either pick or get stuck with them.

Explain that some chores will take longer so that person will have less chores to do.

Make it part voluntary and part compulsion.

Then, to add some incentive, have a list of awards you will hand out each week to the person that does the best job with their chores.

The awards can be as simple as $5 or as exciting as a pass to a local movie theater (ticket, munchies and drink included) or even having their laundry done for them for a week!

You might also want to let the kids have some say in meal plans. Each person gets to request one dinner each week - but they have to help preparing that meal. Take out or delivery does NOT count!

This is all the stuff my parents did when raising up (8 kids) and I did when I spent a summer at my sisters house helping with her 3 young kids.

Just like training dogs - come positive, some compulsion, rewards and consequences!