Do your children have to help around the house?

[jakodai]

I'm similar with my washing - they have to be straight. I actually bought a short folder, and it makes them perfect - theyre also a perfect fit my my draw, too.

I don't color code the pegs... Everything has a place on the line/clothes hoist though.

[Wonder]

Wow astarra, I just don't know where you get the time to do all that. I just don't seem to get time to get the basics done let alone all the extras that you manage - do you work outside the home??

[dede]

Gee if you start making them clean the toilet, wash the windows, mow the lawn, vacuum the house etc then that is harsh. I thing getting to do little jobs like that is a great idea.
They get pretty lazy as they get bigger
My lot don't do a lot but I expect them to put their dirty clothes in the laundry, tidy their room, put clothes away, set the table, dirty dishes in dishwasher, fill the wood box up (although I seem to do that most of the time) occasionally DS 16 will me the lawns. Feed the animals. Clean up their own messes etc.

[astarra]

It doesn't really take that much longer Wonder, and I find the fussy hanging makes for quicker easier folding as everything is sorted on the line so it is already sorted when it comes to folding it and putting in piles before putting away. I guess it is just how I got into the habit of doing it when there was just DH and self, and I had more spare time than I knew what to do with!! Now it is just easy. And anyone driving past sees a nice tidy clothesline!! (No, I am a SAHM - that keeps me busy enough!! )

[gertbysea]

Wonder I am with you. 

Astarra.  Do you know how hard that is  to live with?  Your kids will never have the joy of hanging out the wash now. OCD comes to mind.

My DD's partner  is the same. Drives her nuts. I just say let it go as he then gets to do ALL the housework as she does not  push the mop the way he  does.  Nor can she fold a tea towel the right way.  Anyway that is what she does So now he has to do it all while she sits and reads.

Jakadol, What on earth is a short folder? Take a pic. I have  got to see this.  I actually hang all my shorts by the waist on skirt hangers. But they all have to face the same way. LOL!!!


I don't even own and pegs much less colored ones.

Gert

[obbie]

Astarra, I would not survive.
My clothes are hung out on the deck, or the outside line, with any color peg, any way.

Usually by me, or DH, sometimes if I have no time, my Mum.

[jakodai]

Oops, should be SHIRT folder...

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=261045927995&cmd=VIDESC&index=0&nav=SEARCH&nid=05206350696

[obbie]

Oh, a shirt folder, that makes sense.

[stacelee]

I don't know that my husband actually knows that we have a washing line (actually two because my first was out of action for a few years so I bought a portable one). I think I could count on two hands the number of times he has either hung washing out or brought washing in.  I am trying to train my children better but it is an uphill battle.  I did teach my son how to handwash clothes before he went away and he is apparently washing his clothes...he has become fussy with personal hygiene now (thank goodness, I thought it would never happen).

The one thing I have learnt with both my kids and my husband is not to be as fussy as I would like with how a job is done and to very very discreetly fix their attempts if I REALLY cannot live with what they have done.  At least they tried.  I do throw temper tantrums at times like when I let the fridge grow penicillin because apparently I was the only one who knew how to clean it out (that was a wasted one...I'm still the only one who cleans it out...my husband will very occasionally).  My son did go to school for a few weeks in un-ironed clothes when I got sick of finding freshly ironed clothes dumped on the floor of his room with dirty clothes...he stopped that pretty fast.

[astarra]

What a day, first I'm a harsh woman, now  being told I'm hard to live with and OCD...

I agree stacelee,about the not being so fussy part. I have NEVER told my DH off about the way he has done anything to help, nor have I fixed it. I have fixed the girls jobs, but always thank them for doing things etc.
Miss 5 just came home from school and told me I was a good mum and she was happy that I was her mum!    ... I must be doing SOMETHING right. 

[jakodai]

Aww, thats so sweet!

[gertbysea]

Oh astarra you are a super mum. You put me to shame with my slothful habits and bad parenting.  I drank through my pregnancies , hardly ever vacuumed,  never made a birthday cake and stopped ironing  my kids school shirts once they could hold an iron. 

I am a person people point the finger at. One year I worked 33 out of 52 weekends and never took my kids to sport. I refused to clean the scout hall because I thought the scouts should do it. I got a bucket load of hate mail for that one and my daughter had to quit girl guides because of the flack she took . I even offered them money to find someone for my place on the cleaning roster.

I promise I will take more care of my laundry.  I now bake a cake for DH Birthdays. I am going to phone my kids tonight and ask them for forgiveness. I'll let you know what the say and I'll be honest.

You are doing everything right . If I send  you some wooden, all the same color pegs,will you forgive me?

And jakodal  I never in my life would imagine such a thing.  How much are they? Can you teach the kids to use it? Oh dear here I go again.

Gert in naughty corner

[astarra]

Oh Gert, I'm sorry,  I didn't mean to make you feel bad... in fact I typed a reply and deleted it 7 times before I posted because I didn't want to make you feel like I was having a go at you. 
Yep, I'll forgive you when I get the pegs...

[sue_purrb]

 
I used to colour match pegs as well, until a friend noticed and quietly remarked "You can get pills for that...."

Since then I only buy wooden pegs so I don't have the temptation!! I could do with spreading some of that attention to detail around the rest of the house, though.   

[jakodai]

Gert, I'm quite literally laughing out loud now. I'm getting weird looks in the office, I have to say!

I agree, though - the scouts should clean the scout hall.