Do your children have to help around the house?

[cookie1]

Gert I love it. I use wooden pegs anyway so no worries there.
I like my house to 'look' neat and tidy but I am not above throwing things into cupboards. If the truth be known my cupboards could probably do with a clean out and so could my pantry.
I'd much rather spend my time cooking and on the forum. My darling Mum was very houseproud and I loved her for it, but that has made me the opposite.
My house is clean and just because there is a pile of books on the lounge....well who cares?

I will now admit:  I can't bear to hang a tea towel upside down though.

[astarra]

My DM was absolutely not houseproud - my room was the only tidy place in the whole house - it was my sanctury. So I guess it has made me appreciate tidyness and cleanness.
LOL at your 'confession' Cookie! 

[gertbysea]

I only have terry cloth tea towels which have no top or bottom and i necer hang them anywhere. I just use them and toss them into the washing machine. I don't even have a laundry basket.

We obviously all have our quirks which is great. We can all get a laugh out of it and each other.

I am also very lucky to have a wonderful wonderful worth her weight in gold Maria who comes and cleans every  two weeks. I have all tile floors which are a b*****d and Maria loves them.  She sweeps them. Then  she vacuums them and finally mops them. Bliss. She cleans the ceiling fans, washes the floor to ceiling windows and seven outside sliding doors.  She does the bathrooms, bedrooms and office all in 3 hours.

If only I could have afforded Maria when I was working. Well I probably could have but I used to be super  women albeit  a mean one making my kids work so hard.

Gert no longer in the naughty corner.

[maddy]

I too think your SIL should butt out....your doing fine!
Our house operates a bit differently, the kids chores consist of unloading hay, helping with deliveries, feeding all the animals, collecting firewood, and master 10 drives the truck in paddocks when hubby is collecting hay.  If they help for several hours, they get paid, particularly when fencing.
I don't mind that  they don't do the dishes...I think we have instilled work ethics & responsibility 

[Amy :-)]

I had a great laugh reading this thread. Thanks girls!

My brother and I helped around the house from a very early age because my mum was a single parent and she really needed it. She was also working full-time to put food on our plates and clothes on our backs. I have great rescpect for my mum
My brother and I cleaned our own rooms, took turns feeding the dogs, helped with chores such as cooking, washing dishes, watering the garden and vacuuming. Our favourite job used to be folding up the socks into little balls
By the time I was 13 I was cooking all the meals in the house with just a bit of guidance, but my mum didn't teach me how to use the iron until I was about 14 because the iron we had was very old and easy to burn yourself on.

I am really glad my mum brought me up to help out so much because now I feel fully prepared and confident that when I finally move out I will be able to look after myself and my future household properly

[deedub]

I've let my kids have it easy for too long! They're 7 & 9 now, & the only regular job they have is putting their washing away. Like wonder I don't care if their beds are made, they're upstairs I'm downstairs out of sight out of mind. When I remember I ask them to set the table, clear their plates etc. but I'm not very consistent. I do throw tantrums when they leave a big mess downstairs & they clean up pretty quick. Occasionally I get really mad & give them a day to tidy their rooms upstairs or else anything on the floor will go in the bin - they know I mean it, too!
You're doing a great job astarra, giving kids some responsibility is never a bad thing.

[dede]

Lol deedub, I often tell my lot that if anything is on the floor that doesn't belong there I'm throwing it all away.

When DS 14 was little he was so so naughty day after day, I had enough and gave him his last warning , if he didn't improve his behavior I was taking everything out of his room.
He continued being naughty so I took every thing out of his room, he was left with a bed and his clothes and that was it.
Luckily we had a caravan at the time so everything was locked in there for over a week.
It worked too

[mcmich]

Your so funny Gert.
I worked every weekend when my children were little. I didn't have to find baby sitters that way.
Got maximum pay, DH got to be a kid at the weekends with them - everyone happy.

[gertbysea]

Your so funny Gert.
I worked every weekend when my children were little. I didn't have to find baby sitters that way.
Got maximum pay, DH got to be a kid at the weekends with them - everyone happy.

Well Hello Sister. I knew we were sister Sisters.

Gert

[mcmich]

 

[CreamPuff63]

my motto has always been if a job is worth doing, its worth doing well. over the years I have had to bend and sway with this ideal as I put away the dishes that my blind husband has apparently washed (telling myself that I couldn't be bothered doing them myself at that time etc). I used to let him hang my clothes up until he just wrecked them consistenly by shoving pegs in the middle and somehow there would be a big peg bulge on my boob, stomach or back cos he just hung them any old how - until I told him not to touch my clothes. Kids wouldn't let him touch theirs either for the same reason. I just do jobs that I can't bear others to stuff up, and I have to keep my lips sealed and deal with it. With regards to clothes washing my kids have had to wash/iron their clothes since high school as I got sick of the way they dealt with them. My ironing board cover says "I would rather go naked than iron". I have a clean tidy house, but I don't go overboard as I never let the house get to the point where it looks like it needs a good hard clean (except for the windows). I think kids have to be given responsbility for their things, whether its pets, clothes, or personal belongings. SIL probably thought she could comfortably say to you that you were harsh, but at the same time no one is perfect either in themselves or the way that we deal with parenting or our marriages. Even as our kids grow we have to make adjustments to our ideas, and learn to compromise with each other to make for a more harmonious life.

I always joke with my kids when I hear kids screaming "thats nothing that a good whack wouldn't cure!". It always gets a good reaction from them  

[snappy]

I've got two boys 2 and 5 and i prefer to think that they have to pick up after themselves rather than do chores.  They are expected to put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket, dress themselves in the morning, make their bed, make their own breakfast (if its cereal), put their dishes in the dishwasher when they are finished eating etc ...

I'm forever telling them "there are no slaves in this house - you are responsible for yourself and your belongings "

I am a working mum so maybe its because i'm not at home a lot but i want to raise boys that are self sufficient - they should be able to cook, clean,wash, iron etc. 

Oh, and those shirt folders are SENSATIONAL!  I dont even iron but i love the shirt folders - thye just make it look so neat and organised.  I even bought the kid sized one and Mr 5 loves folding his clothes on it

[dede]

Shirt folders? Did I miss something?

[Halex]

Now lets see ... crown Prince does, well hs mother is the queen.

Lays the dinner table every nights, clears the dinner table every night
Puts the washing his & whoevers in the laundry
Vacuums, loves vacuuming
Hangs washing out, folds washing
Unloads dishwasher
Puts recycling out
Bits & pieces when asked
H

[maddy]

Shirt folders? Did I miss something?

I'm clueless too dede    I'm the shirt folder.