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Created a rod for my own back with lazy kids…how do I stop now?

76 replies

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 13/08/2025 13:27

2 girls - 11 and 8.
Both do absolutely nothing around the home to help, I’m not even talking major chores, but nothing to the extent that they will have a snack and basically leave any packaging to lie wherever it falls, until this mug here comes along and picks it up!
I don’t want to have two spoilt brats on my hands and I know that this needs to change, so I’ve explained to them that this isn’t acceptable, they need to be responsible to cleaning their own mess, and explained that from now on they need to actually get off their arses and throw their own rubbish in the bin, they need to clear the table after themselves, put their clothes straight in the wash basket etc etc and we’ll build on it from there.
the problem is, constantly reminding them is more exhausting and time consuming than just doing it myself!
I’ve just lost my shit because whilst I was in the middle of prepping dinner for tonight the 11 year old has just walked up to me with a carton of apple juice in hand, asking me to open it because she couldn’t…she couldn’t because she only had 1 hand free as her iPad was in the other, and rather than just PUT IT DOWN it makes more sense to her that I stop and do it!
it’s building such a rage inside me.
how do I push through with this and come out the other end?!

OP posts:
MCF86 · 15/08/2025 16:35

No advice just another one saying you're not alone!

I have a six year old and the summer holidays are teaching me I really need to get some expextations/routines set, so this thread has been useful. He's with his dad now and then we go on holiday so it'll be pretty much back to school before I can implement anything, but I'm thinking about starting with a home time checklist (shoes away, bag emptied, lunchbox to kitchen and hands washed, uniform changed out of) and then a general "five minute pick up" at the end of the day (thanks to pp for that idea, I'm off to find something to use as a timer that we can sing along to as we go!).

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