To ask DC to clean their own bathroom?

[fortheloveof]

DC (10 and 9) share small toilet and sink upstairs between their bedrooms. Would it be unreasonable to ask them to give it a wipe over now and again (in the spirit of giving them responsibility for cleaning up after themselves rather than using them as slave labour!)?

I'm totally prepared to be shot down on this one! If IABU at what age would this type of chore be appropriate?

I would make them do it.

But I am, according to my DDs aged 13 and 10, a slave driver

Of course YANBU

they are more than old enough to clean up

Of course Yanbu!

Definitely not unreasonable.

Are you being serious? Your not their slave. They should be helping out in the rest of the house as well. Mine do their rooms, dishwasher, put their washing away and the oldest loves cooking occasionally as well. You are not doing yourself or their future independence/ partners any favours by cleaning up things they are capable of doing.

Oh, somewhat surprised at the response so far! Good stuff!

They already do some chores such as table setting, dishes, feed/clean animals, strip beds, bedrooms and bring firewood in.

I guess at the back of my mind I'm thinking they won't do it properly (splattering toiletbrush potential!). I need to let them get on and do stuff even if it's not quite up to my standards at first, otherwise how will they learn?

Interested to hear what chores other children do.

They're old enough to do that. Be prepared to show them numerous times how to do it right!

No question. Why should you get all the crap jobs? (see what I did there?)

I'd borderline get my 4yo to do it...well, not quite but nearly!

I wouldn't 'ask' - I'd 'tell'. They either do it or it is locked.

UANBU,
We have one tiny bathroom upstairs and I often get the DDs to polish the sink.

DH and I don't paint it with toothpaste!

Hmm - I'm all for kids doing their fair share around the house, but actually, I rather think that toilets should be done by adults. I wouldn't think it was terrible or anything - but it's not a job I'd assign to them.

I think YAB a bit U. They should not be allowed to use a bottle of bleach at that age - if they splash some in their eyes, they could do their sight a lot of damage. Cleaning a loo without bleach is a tall order. Find other tasks. You can clearly expect them to change the loo roll when it runs out, to flush the loo and to wipe up wee spills with loo paper if they need to. But the proper clean should be for you (sorry).

einstein we never use bleach anyway, usually some kind of 'natural' cleaner (lentil weaver?) but I get your point it's prob still fairly potent!

Realistically I wouldn't expect them to do it very often (and if they take after their father they should average once in a blue effing moon!)

C'mon be honest, how many parents get their kids to do this? Would you draw the line at the family bathroom or do you all take turns (including partner/spouse!)?

DD and DS (10 and 13) do their share of the housework. They can choose which jobs to do from a list of everything, and the bathroom sink and loo are two of the ones DD has chosen to do.

So if your DC are used to doing other jobs, I don't see why cleaning a bathroom should be an issue.

In fact I would say that the 'worst' jobs that nobody wants to do are anything that involves sorting out clutter. Those are the ones that nobody picks off our household job list and I end up doing.

Yes, get them to do it. If it isn't up to your standards, leave it, they will learn. Just make sure they wash their hands when they finish!

they have their own bathroom?

Sorry demented, it is the smallest room (I can barely stand up in it!) with no actual bath, just toilet and sink.

It has come in useful and undoubtedly prevented some 'accidents' when other bathroom occupied but at the end of the day it's another crapper to clean!

Sorry if I sound like a spoilt cow

My DSS do their bathroom but didn't start till about 12 and 14 . Would have been earlier if I had known them longer .

My mum always asked me to wipe the sink and bath over with cleaner when I was young . She did the loo. Personally I'd start off getting them to do a few things in there and leave the loo till they are a bit older .

I think yabu. I hated doing cleaning as a kid and it just caused arguments with me and mum. I don't want that with my dc. Especially at that age I just want kids to kids. There's time for loads of responsibility when they grow up.

YADNBU!!
They are plenty old enough to be taught good habits.

If you are worried about the cleaner, then put a tiny bit of some kind of soap/shampoo/dish liquid in a spray or squeezy bottle and provide them with plenty of rags or paper towel. Teach them to give it a quick once over with this most days and then you can do the bleach job when you think it necessary.

I wish I had read this on Flylady thought of this years ago. It sure makes my life easier, and toilets much more pleasant, now.

My mother expected this of my sibs and I when we were kids. I was prob 13 and my brother 9 when it started (sister at 5 was deemed too young)

It wasn't always the cleanest bathroom but it only got cleaned by us. Good preparation for grotty flat shares as students!

Good point re. Bleach, but they could do the rest and you just squirt the bleach at the end....

Assuming you would be supervising at first anyway.