Best liner/ bedding for drop tray

[LuckyChickenLover-]

I feel bad now I'm 13 and I don't do anything , well when I say anything, I mean things other than what I SHOULD do anyway.

 

I do clean out my pets and make sure they are fed, keep bedroom resonably tidy, ect. And when my mum asks mw to do anything I do it usually

 

However, I don't get any pocket money, allowence or anything like that, and neither do I get things I want paid for me.

[Goosey Lucy]

Goosey's sentence about teaching other people's children to do chores/cooking is interesting; two friends of mine own a local cafe, serving wholesome home-cooked food (lillybettybabs may know this as it's not far from her... in Middleton Cheney), both of them are qualified cooks and were asked by a customer if they'd teach her son (during the summer hols) enough basic dishes to enable him to cook when he goes to uni. Not sure what's wrong with her doing this herself, but I bet that'd take off as a business if you did it Lucy

 

Why thank you

 

There are also a lot of adults who I'm sure with a bit of time and patience could also learn how to put a nutritious meal in front of their family. Or bake a cake.

 

All I need now is a house of my own over here...anyone want to buy a house in Coventry?

[Olly]

My children have recently come to the age where they are asking me why Mummy and Daddy are not married. I have found a very simple answer in that he has not passed his husband exams!

 

That really made me smile! I've read this with interest - don't have children, but certainly I grew up knowing how to cook, wash clothes, iron, and light a fire. (My mother wasn't big on cleaning, I blame her for my inabilities in that direction!) I'm amazed at the number of my friends' children who don't seem to have any jobs around the house.

 

Ali-s, I can see it's difficult for you with your daughter spending so much time swimming. I'd have thought there must still be some chores she could do - making her own bed, sorting laundry etc. - if she is going to become a serious swimmer, she needs to learn to organise her life, and if she gives up swimming then she's still going to need those life-skills. Who washes her kit, towels etc?

[Geoid]

I can cook, use the washing machine, use the dishwasher, use the iron, use the hoover. I have been trained well

[jlo]

DS is almost 16 and DD is 13. We have gone through various stages of doing chores but it is mainly ad hoc now and they will do things either as they realise they need doing or (more usually) as I ask them to do them. DS will empty the dishwasher without prompting but DD would need a definite nudge to do things and usually does them with much harrumphing.

 

They both have to put clothes away; strip and make their beds and keep their bedroom tidy. If I am doing housework/garden tidying or chook cleaning on a weekend morning, they know that the best way to avoid my getting into a mood is to offer assistance and I will delegate accordingly.

 

They are both capable of cooking and will do so when required. Both have made their own packed lunches for a long time now. They both now how to use the washing machine and they can iron but, to be honest, we all try and avoid ironing as much as humanly possible.

 

They are certainly more proficient than OH. I sent him on a cookery course for his birthday last year and since it finished he has cooked a total of two meals!

[Chicken Shirl]

My two are nearly 9 (son) and nearly 4 (daughter). Neither have set jobs to do regularly. Both are expected to help with the regular household tasks. For my daughter, it's limited to helping me cook, loading up the washing machine, tidying up toys wherever they may be, watering in the allotment, putting clean clothes away and other similarly uncomplicated tasks. My son is more capable, so more is expected; cooking dinner once in a while, washing up, hoovering, baking bread every now and then and so on. He also recently got the chance to help with redecorating the dining room, so was let loose with sandpaper and, later, a paint brush. This went well on the whole.

 

It's also true that my wife and I don't split family chores into "his" and "hers"; if something needs doing then one of us will do it, but weight is given to whoever has ability in a given area. I'm more proficient with a saucepan and savoury stuff, whilst my wife is better at baking. If my wife has to spend a session with an iron, I'm the more logical choice for cleaning the loo. I'm the better woodworker, my wife is the better gardener. All we're doing with the division of labour is including the kids in the list of people who need to muck in according to capabilities, so they're not getting chores so much as being useful members of a cohesive family.

 

A family working together.

[chickencam]

Mine ,11, 14 & 17 in a few days, are expected to help with most household chores. They all clear away after a meal, load the dishwasher, and wipe and dry the mats and put them away. Sometime they also wash the non-dishwasher things too, usually DS because he loves being in the kitchen on his own with Dave on the TV or listening to 5 live.

 

DS has the most have a go attitude to food preparation, he is however the most likely to burn the house down

 

YD can cook quite instinctively, ED cooks if she has to.

 

We have to keep on top of them, job avoidance is a common problem. ED got used to the homework and GCSE excuse last year, but she does very little stuff outside school therefore she has the time just not the inclination.

 

I couldn't let the children leave home without a basic set of life skills.

[Margaret]

Oh dear...

Mine are 30, 28 and 24

I work full time, so does Hubby so do they AND ( I hang my head in shame) they do nothing

[Lewis]

I think I'll be fine at Uni

Can cook pretty much everything we eat (not meat 'cos have never had to, being half veggie ) or will find a recipe if not, have to do the lawns, vacuum, dishwasher.

I wash + hang out my stuff but Mother irons them

 

My room is, rather messy - but I know exactly where everything is, organised chaos I just think its only me that has to go in there

 

I clean out, feed + water all the animals - thats one thing they're all going to have to learn to do now.

My brother asked where the chicken food was the other day bearing in mind he's 16 + its been in the same place for over 4 years

 

Some of my friends (18) can't even make tea or coffee, and think microwaving is cooking ... one friends Mom went out for the day, he came out with us + fainted 'cos she wasn't there to cook for him!!!

[bluekarin]

My three (10, 12 &13) do help out, but not much. They are asked to do the dishwasher once a week each and to make sure the dirty clothes are put into the dirty clothes pile in the bathroom. They will strip their beds and with a bit of help make them again (their beds are mid sleepers and are fiddly to make - even I find them a pain). They will run the hoover round if asked. The eldest two tend to be the most helpful and YD tries to help, but suddenly develops back pain whilst doing the dishwasher/tidying her room etc etc ED is not at all interested in cooking, but the DS and YD love to help. DS has made spicy noodles before for our lunch which were on par with Wagamamas! He has asked if he could do a Sunday lunch and although I am a bit dubious about letting him, he has to start somewhere.

I can't remember how old I was when I started cooking. I know my mum used to make lots of cakes and biscuits but I am not sure if I ever helped. I do remember my first chores being washing and drying up. It used to take me HOURS and not because there was a lot of it, I just hated doing it. Lots of tears as well probably

My three have an easy life, and I know that isn't a good thing as it isn't helping them in the long term. I do all the washing and drying, as our washing machine has a large drum and so I only need to do a few loads a week now. I am also a finicky about how the washing is hung on the line (there was a recent topic about this on here wasn't there) and I like it to be folded as its taken down to limit the need for ironing. Same if its tumbled - I fold it straight away. Everyone else just puts it into the laundry basket and it gets all creased

[bronze]

my 17 month old is currently emptying the dishwasher, it may take some time but I'm not going to stop him

[The Dogmother]

Good for you Lewis When do you move in here?

[Lydia]

I am also reading this thread with interest. I don't have any kids but I do have a sister in law who, at the age of 46, still lives at home with her mum. My mother in law gets her up in the morning for work, makes her breakfast, lunch (for which she returns home) and tea, does all the shopping, washing, cleaning, paying of bills etc. My sister in law's highest responsibility is programming the video and making the odd cup of coffee. She suffers from epilepsy but she is more than capable of doing all of these things - she manages to hold down a fulltime job and a social life after all.

 

Some say that it's because of her epilepsy but I speak as someone with health problems who was in and out of hospital and had 17 major operations before the age of 12. My mother could have wrapped me up in cotton wool - she didn't and I'm grateful.

 

My mother in law is nearly 76 and, while I wish her no ill, she won't be around forever. 46 is rather late to be learning life skills I think and it's going to come as a huge shock when the time comes.

[The Dogmother]

I have a similar neighbour Lydia.

 

Elderly couple with twin sons in their 50s (each very different) The wife died a few years back, one of the sons who had always had 'issues' dies in suspicious circumstances a couple of years ago. remaining son, who has a house of his own which he rents out. Still lives at home, his dad cooks cleans and everything for him, he is incapable of doing anything vaguely domestic for himself.... except for bringing home women he's met off the internet.

 

It does them no favours.....

[meezers]

Well, my OH thinks I'm mean for making the boys ( 11 & 14 ) make their own packed lunch. You can guess his mum waited on him hand and foot and he hasn't improved much in 18 yrs of marriage - he still expects to be waited on and never fails to be disappointed when it doesn't happen

I'm determined the boys will be more self sufficient when they leave home.The 11 yr old can make a cup of tea or coffee,likes to have a go at ironing when I let him, cleans out his hamster unprompted and hoovers his room afterwards. I'm at work first thing so they both make their own breakfast - though oldest has toast and marmite without butter as ' he can't be bothered' spreading it My oldest has Aspergers syndrome and it's more of a struggle 'training ' him, he is supposed to keep his room tidy but I haven't been able to see the carpet for months. I won't do it and it honestly doesn't bother him so until I can think of a suitable bribe it will remain a tip.

I think it should be law that all young people ( especially boys ) live on their own for at least a year before moving in with a partner - and whoever suggested the ' husband exams' , what a brilliant idea !

[The Dogmother]

My father was of the generation who left home when they got married and men in those days did little domestic chores, but he always did all the DIY, gardening and car stuff. He's hopeless in the kitchen though his mother spoiled all three of her boys, but then it wasn't usual for men to do kitcheny things then.

 

My Italian grandpa was an excellent cook and he would often do chores like hoovering and mopping. Surprisingly, the cooking gene skipped a generation and my mother doesn't enjoy it at all, in fact we call it 'cooking with a grudge' when she's in the kitchen. My sister is exactly the same and at 44, she's still a hopeless cook and never cleans, her children are the same.

[Mollie333]

I do some things. I get up, let the chickens out, clean them out, feed them, put them away at night, & i can cook Pasta i guess. .

I wash my clothes sometimes, but Mum irons them since i'm scared of the iron burning me..

Also i do load and unload the dishwasher, and change/baby sit my niece, ect.

Also tidy up the garden, water plants, wash dads cars before he sells them, not much, but i do try, honest.

[AJuff]

My three 12, 11 and 7 have to do 'Jolly Jobs' otherwise when OH is away we would sink!!!!! They were keen at first, then enthusiasm wained and now they just get on with it. DD 12 will have to take on extra chores when she turns 13 and I'll expect her to help with the laundry!!! Roll on her birthday!

[Clash City Rocker]

The "Brat" (now 18) has always been expected to do chores.

Started with loading/emptying dishwashers, emptying bins, fetching newspapers, tidying room etc.

Moved on to preparing veg, washing machine loading/emptying, washing on line, her own ironing.

More recently business banking at lunchtime as her school is in the centre of Worcester near to our bank.

 

Had a period in her early teens when the state of her room was an issue, stopped our cleaner from tidying up her room which didn't really make any difference to her so I used my "last resort"...................

remove the Sky viewing card from her Sky box and keep it in my wallet for a few days.

Never fails to get results

[goodinparts]

Though it didn't seem a good idea at the time, I broke my right arm when eldest was 10 (so the boys were 7 & 4).....and from then on they became thoroughly domesticated - so looking back it is highly recommended!

Now young adults (the youngest starts at uni on Friday) they more than pull their weight around the house.....though their bedrooms are definitely scary, I'm no domestic goddess - so they don't have the best example! But they always had to take their share of jobs...When they were younger we ran B&B and there were always things that needed doing.......and I'm pleased that they can all cope with the daily round of looking after themselves.

[Deb Dav]

My three 12, 11 and 7 have to do 'Jolly Jobs' otherwise when OH is away we would sink!!!!!

 

Same in our house, OH works abroad 12 - 16 weeks a time and if my two boys (15 & 12) and I didn't have a routine or the boys didn't do their chores then we would be in complete chaos. As it is we are all organised and everything works well - we do lapse now and then, but then we all pull together to keep the house as we like it (the boys love to watch 'How clean is your House' )- it makes them proud that our house is no way like those and that they have contributed to keeping it nice and clean and homely.

 

It also helps to know that whenever I am really laid up ill etc the boys can cope with doing the day to day chores for me, themselves, two cats and 10 hens. plus the added bonus the OH doesn't worry to much when away.

[The Dogmother]

Rosie helped very nicely when I was laid up after a major op 2 years ago, luckily I had stocked the freezer up with some home-made ready meals, but she coped admirably.

[bronze]

ds1 made them all lunch today as I sat being lazy. He said I had had a horrible week (I had everyone had been ill including me) and I needed a break. Hes 7, I love that boy.