See You at the Negotiation Table
My children do chores. They always have. Maybe since they were 2-years old or so, as soon as they could walk and carry something at the same time, I have offered them the opportunity to help around the house. (It used to be the case that Ian would DROP EVERYTHING and come running from wherever he was playing to do the vacuuming!)
The older they grew, the more responsibilities they have acquired. Now, I am not insinuating that there is slavery-of-the-offspring at our home, not in any way. But in my house, we do share the load. We are a team under one roof and every member needs to do his/her part.
Needs to.
Doesn't always.
Lately, as my children have edged closer and closer to the "typical teenager" attitude, the chore list is being dodged, forgotten, even defiantly ignored.
And it's bugging me.
So, Sunday morning, I went on strike. I posted a note on the kitchen door which reads:
"NOTICE: Let all who enter here be advised that the mother of this organization is now ON STRIKE and will no longer be entering this room (other than for her own purposes) for any reason, for any person. This includes cleaning, cooking, or distributing of food items for the organization..."
The note went on to explain the problems and to point out that demands must be met with consistency and longevity before I will return to the regularly scheduled duties of mothering my clan.
Or maybe I won't.
After all,
I do have that stack of books to read...
Blogging to do...
Autumn walks to take...
Hahaha! You're such a cool mom! My mom has declared my bedroom her Switzerland. As in, she won't enter it to clean, and I won't moan about it being dirty. :D
ReplyDeleteStick to your guns. It is harder when they get older but it will all work out. I even successfully "trained" The Hubby. he does his own laundry, irons and cleans up after I cook! It has taken 31+ years though! Good Luck.
ReplyDeleteConsidering I rarely cook my kids wouldn't notice any difference.
ReplyDeleteGetting kids to do chores is such a battle, but it's so important to make them do things and not just clean up for them, which is what I end up doing quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteMy eldest just turned 12 today. He has not hit the stage of not doing his chores (yet), although I do find myself reminding him more frequently than I do the others. Of course, he has the most and biggest chores. I'm the bad mother who ties chores to allowances. Don't to the chores? Don't get no money, honey.
ReplyDeleteso how did the negotiations go? are you still on strike?
ReplyDeleteI could never leave the table as a kid without asking if I needed to do something (which didn't mean I always had to do something, although dishes were a very regular duty) (getting a lot of homework as I grew older did help the negotiations in my favor though).
You go girl! They will survive and you will be more relaxed.
ReplyDeleteI'm thiiiiiiiis close to going on strike, if I have to hear my son say, "Ew. I'm not eating THAT" just one more time.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, my little one. Do you remember when I went on strike??
ReplyDelete