Did you have chores as a kid? I know I sure did. And myself and my siblings did NOT get an allowance for them, either.
Some of our chores were unloading and loading the dishwasher (after giving the dishes a light washing - it was the 70s and dishwashers weren't all that fancy back then), gathering up and taking out the trash, feeding and watering the dogs, keeping our rooms clean, doing our own laundry and keeping our bathroom (the kids' bathroom) clean. Since I was the oldest, it was my job to start dinner when I got home from school and then I had to get the others on task to do their chores.
For other stuff that we did that wasn't part of the regular routine, now those chores we were paid for. Like cleaning out the garage or pulling weeds along the fence row... or going on poop patrol out on our acre backyard to clean up after two German Shepards.
I've tried explaining this sort of thing to MY children. Somewhere along the line, I've flunked this part of parenting 101. My children are under the impression that they can sit on their keisters and not lift a finger to help out around this joint.
We had a regular 'coming to Jesus' meeting just yesterday about how the clean clothes fairy, the food fairy and the dusting fairy --- are officially on strike.
I have managed to raise my kids to falsely think that I am here to fulfill their every want, need and/or desire. When the HELL did I screw that one up!? :doh
Maybe I dropped the ball out of guilt. I tend to do that a lot, but I usually fumble the ball and make a good recovery when I realize it. Not this time. Like the Chiefs during a possible play off game - I effed this one up, but good.
I work a ton of hours and get to feeling guilty about having them do chores because I'm not here with them every second that they are here. So, I normally wind up trying to kill myself when I am here, by cleaning in a frenzy because by then, I can't stand it.
I wind up in a whirlwind, yelling and bitching the whole time I'm scrubbing the kitchen floor, or dragging the Dyson up and down two flights of stairs... or cleaning three toilets that you'd think a blind person used, because apparently, my son thinks his penis is a fire hose.
So... I got a dose of reality yesterday and so did they. They will now have chores that they are to do every single day, no matter what. And I will pay a small amount for those things that are above and beyond. I just don't think kids should be paid for helping keep their home clean. They are teenagers, and while they are pretty good (not perfect mind you) about picking up after themselves.... they don't take the initiative to do much else.
Well, they are now.
Some of our chores were unloading and loading the dishwasher (after giving the dishes a light washing - it was the 70s and dishwashers weren't all that fancy back then), gathering up and taking out the trash, feeding and watering the dogs, keeping our rooms clean, doing our own laundry and keeping our bathroom (the kids' bathroom) clean. Since I was the oldest, it was my job to start dinner when I got home from school and then I had to get the others on task to do their chores.
For other stuff that we did that wasn't part of the regular routine, now those chores we were paid for. Like cleaning out the garage or pulling weeds along the fence row... or going on poop patrol out on our acre backyard to clean up after two German Shepards.
I've tried explaining this sort of thing to MY children. Somewhere along the line, I've flunked this part of parenting 101. My children are under the impression that they can sit on their keisters and not lift a finger to help out around this joint.
We had a regular 'coming to Jesus' meeting just yesterday about how the clean clothes fairy, the food fairy and the dusting fairy --- are officially on strike.
I have managed to raise my kids to falsely think that I am here to fulfill their every want, need and/or desire. When the HELL did I screw that one up!? :doh
Maybe I dropped the ball out of guilt. I tend to do that a lot, but I usually fumble the ball and make a good recovery when I realize it. Not this time. Like the Chiefs during a possible play off game - I effed this one up, but good.
I work a ton of hours and get to feeling guilty about having them do chores because I'm not here with them every second that they are here. So, I normally wind up trying to kill myself when I am here, by cleaning in a frenzy because by then, I can't stand it.
I wind up in a whirlwind, yelling and bitching the whole time I'm scrubbing the kitchen floor, or dragging the Dyson up and down two flights of stairs... or cleaning three toilets that you'd think a blind person used, because apparently, my son thinks his penis is a fire hose.
So... I got a dose of reality yesterday and so did they. They will now have chores that they are to do every single day, no matter what. And I will pay a small amount for those things that are above and beyond. I just don't think kids should be paid for helping keep their home clean. They are teenagers, and while they are pretty good (not perfect mind you) about picking up after themselves.... they don't take the initiative to do much else.
Well, they are now.
