I have 2 children, well not so children now (21 and 17) and they used to complain that I treated them unfairly. So one day, I had them face each other, then I asked one "do you think I treat the other better than you" to which the emphatically responded with "YES!". I repeated the process with the other child an received the same response, to which I replied with, "Well, looks like I treat the both of you the same", and then I turned and walked away. They have never said that I treat them differently since.
ROFL!! Especially the comment about how the Continental Congress probably spent less time haggling over the US Constitution than the kids spent negotiating the split of the chores! 😆
Same here. As the baby of 6, and a spoiled brat at that, I had it so much better than the rest. Once we were grown-up, I admitted to them that I realized that, and they still seem to like me! Or at least hate me less than when we were kids! lol!
The dishes were my domain. My older brothers never understood why I wanted that chore. The secret is that I never rinsed the dishes. Still don't rinse as an adult and the dishwasher is still my domain. I can get more items in than anyone and they come out sparkling clean.
Chores are a part of life. We girls started with dusting at around 9, and then to sweeping at 10 and then we both got a room where we did both (we preferred the living room cos rarely was anyone allowed in there🙄) We either had to set or clear the table at around 9 yrs, also. This was in addition to sweeping/dusting/tidying our small shared room. My sister was a slob and I was not so this was not a happy time for me; until at 15 we moved and each got our own rooms. We started cooking meals once a week once we had home ec in school in 8th grade.
You might wonder what my younger brother did? NOTHING! His only job was to mow the grass or wash the car in summer—FOR WHICH HE GOT PAID! Then he just refused to do the mowing come junior year. We called him “the Golden Child”.
As the last of 5 kids, I have to admit my older siblings got a raw deal. By the time I was old enough to help, there were fewer kids at home and fewer plates and cups to wash!
As an adult, my friend lived in the middle of student housing near our local university. A house full of young "men" constantly came next door where our group of friends hung out on the porch.
"How do you work a washing machine/dishwasher/oven?"
"My gf passed out, what should I do?" "What do you feed a goat? Because we won a goat in a poker game..." TEACH YOUR BOYS life skills, they won't survive!
I don't sort laundry unless it's a dark color and brand new nor do I rinse the dishes unless they REALLY need it and the world hasn't exploded so I must be doing something right.
I must be an oddball; I loved doing the dishes and enjoyed learning to cook, (does adding extra spices to canned chili count?) When I was older, I used to chop wood for our fireplace. I loved that chore, I was away from my brother and 2 sisters. BTW, I was the oldest child) I do agree that making the kids do chores is a character-building moment (Has anybody see Hobbs?)
Whatever, enjoy piling more chores.
P.S. one way to hopefully decrease the time of whining is to remind them that the sooner they finished, the sooner they could do something they like, such as sword fights, or whatever.
For me, this newsletter is sooo relatable, as if I was reading about my family. Me and my two younger brothers were (and sometimes still are) exactly the same. Arguments about each other's contribution in chores, the division who makes what, complainments on who has better chore responsibilities and that the youngest is not doing anything at all, or that now it's the other one's time to wash the dishes, as well as "But what about [insert the name of the brother you've argued with more recently]", it all has been there, so you can tell your kids that they aren't alone in their struggles. Also the reasons for the middle one of us to start cooking were similar to Betsy's.
With the laundry it's the same story - I think it's connected to being a man to don't care at all about soring it. But with this I was forced to change my beliefs, as my Mum made us do laundry and dishwashing the way she would make her daughters, if she had them. Same pattern with dishwashing. She only failed in teaching us how to sew.
The first time I've found about the concept of children doing chores as a free labour force was in one of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books, and it's all true for me. (Also here I have to say that this series is all truth, and I recommend it strongly).
Another thing is with the division of chores. When we were told to assign the tasks in the presence of our parents, there was always fighting, but when it was sorted arbitrary or by us without suprevision, the share of contribution was usually fair and quick. Sometimes I, as the oldest, was given the privilidge to manage our three, so I never resigned the possibility to use the power of firstborn, but to a certain extent (I didn't want to deal with two angry boys on my own). Separate matter was that we were in the same boat (or translating directly from polish "riding on the same cart"), so it wasn't wise to argue as we would've all been punished jointly for having less than 100% of chores completed, which is why I to this day hate the collective responsibility.
I just don’t get why the title is I ruined Waffle’s life... i mean Waffle and Lucy! Lucy’s life has been also permanently tantalized. I would have named it “thanks god of the dishwashers” jajaja
I’m baffled that you require dishes to be pre-washed before letting the dishwasher do its job. To me, that’s a make-work job if ever there was one. And I’m in the sort-the-laundry crew...but I’m 100% sure the black jeans my kids wear will make the rest of our whites less white if washed together. I’m not dictatorial about it...but when you’ve got to do 5-7 loads a week, it is as good as any a way to sort.
I have 2 children, well not so children now (21 and 17) and they used to complain that I treated them unfairly. So one day, I had them face each other, then I asked one "do you think I treat the other better than you" to which the emphatically responded with "YES!". I repeated the process with the other child an received the same response, to which I replied with, "Well, looks like I treat the both of you the same", and then I turned and walked away. They have never said that I treat them differently since.
The kid that cooks also cleans, that way they have to deal with their own mess. Each child gets a different day. 7 kids and you never have to cook
I hope Lola reads this😈
ROFL!! Especially the comment about how the Continental Congress probably spent less time haggling over the US Constitution than the kids spent negotiating the split of the chores! 😆
Same here. As the baby of 6, and a spoiled brat at that, I had it so much better than the rest. Once we were grown-up, I admitted to them that I realized that, and they still seem to like me! Or at least hate me less than when we were kids! lol!
The dishes were my domain. My older brothers never understood why I wanted that chore. The secret is that I never rinsed the dishes. Still don't rinse as an adult and the dishwasher is still my domain. I can get more items in than anyone and they come out sparkling clean.
Lucy and Waffle on dish patrol.
I just want a broken dish count from time to time. LOL
This what melamine dishes are for!
Chores are a part of life. We girls started with dusting at around 9, and then to sweeping at 10 and then we both got a room where we did both (we preferred the living room cos rarely was anyone allowed in there🙄) We either had to set or clear the table at around 9 yrs, also. This was in addition to sweeping/dusting/tidying our small shared room. My sister was a slob and I was not so this was not a happy time for me; until at 15 we moved and each got our own rooms. We started cooking meals once a week once we had home ec in school in 8th grade.
You might wonder what my younger brother did? NOTHING! His only job was to mow the grass or wash the car in summer—FOR WHICH HE GOT PAID! Then he just refused to do the mowing come junior year. We called him “the Golden Child”.
As the last of 5 kids, I have to admit my older siblings got a raw deal. By the time I was old enough to help, there were fewer kids at home and fewer plates and cups to wash!
As an adult, my friend lived in the middle of student housing near our local university. A house full of young "men" constantly came next door where our group of friends hung out on the porch.
"How do you work a washing machine/dishwasher/oven?"
"My gf passed out, what should I do?" "What do you feed a goat? Because we won a goat in a poker game..." TEACH YOUR BOYS life skills, they won't survive!
I don't sort laundry unless it's a dark color and brand new nor do I rinse the dishes unless they REALLY need it and the world hasn't exploded so I must be doing something right.
I must be an oddball; I loved doing the dishes and enjoyed learning to cook, (does adding extra spices to canned chili count?) When I was older, I used to chop wood for our fireplace. I loved that chore, I was away from my brother and 2 sisters. BTW, I was the oldest child) I do agree that making the kids do chores is a character-building moment (Has anybody see Hobbs?)
Whatever, enjoy piling more chores.
P.S. one way to hopefully decrease the time of whining is to remind them that the sooner they finished, the sooner they could do something they like, such as sword fights, or whatever.
For me, this newsletter is sooo relatable, as if I was reading about my family. Me and my two younger brothers were (and sometimes still are) exactly the same. Arguments about each other's contribution in chores, the division who makes what, complainments on who has better chore responsibilities and that the youngest is not doing anything at all, or that now it's the other one's time to wash the dishes, as well as "But what about [insert the name of the brother you've argued with more recently]", it all has been there, so you can tell your kids that they aren't alone in their struggles. Also the reasons for the middle one of us to start cooking were similar to Betsy's.
With the laundry it's the same story - I think it's connected to being a man to don't care at all about soring it. But with this I was forced to change my beliefs, as my Mum made us do laundry and dishwashing the way she would make her daughters, if she had them. Same pattern with dishwashing. She only failed in teaching us how to sew.
The first time I've found about the concept of children doing chores as a free labour force was in one of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books, and it's all true for me. (Also here I have to say that this series is all truth, and I recommend it strongly).
Another thing is with the division of chores. When we were told to assign the tasks in the presence of our parents, there was always fighting, but when it was sorted arbitrary or by us without suprevision, the share of contribution was usually fair and quick. Sometimes I, as the oldest, was given the privilidge to manage our three, so I never resigned the possibility to use the power of firstborn, but to a certain extent (I didn't want to deal with two angry boys on my own). Separate matter was that we were in the same boat (or translating directly from polish "riding on the same cart"), so it wasn't wise to argue as we would've all been punished jointly for having less than 100% of chores completed, which is why I to this day hate the collective responsibility.
Finally, Happy Birthday again to Waffle!
I just don’t get why the title is I ruined Waffle’s life... i mean Waffle and Lucy! Lucy’s life has been also permanently tantalized. I would have named it “thanks god of the dishwashers” jajaja
I’m baffled that you require dishes to be pre-washed before letting the dishwasher do its job. To me, that’s a make-work job if ever there was one. And I’m in the sort-the-laundry crew...but I’m 100% sure the black jeans my kids wear will make the rest of our whites less white if washed together. I’m not dictatorial about it...but when you’ve got to do 5-7 loads a week, it is as good as any a way to sort.