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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask the children to strip and remake their beds?

67 replies

QuckTheDuck · 16/07/2019 16:39

Aged 9-14.

Someone at work said they still stripped and remade their teens beds and another does it for their child in their early twenties.

I make mine do their own, and have done for a while.

Am I just really harsh? Feeling a bit bad that they have it as one of their chores tbh now :(

OP posts:
Dragonglass · 18/07/2019 07:02

Mine have all done this since they were young. My 11 year old recently went on his school residential, where the children had to make their beds on arrival. My son was shocked at how many people he had to help as they have never done it.

Trickyteens · 18/07/2019 08:28

Mine stripped beds from 10 ish, and remade from about 13. They did the dishwasher, cleaned kitchen surfaces, knew extremely basic cooking, and cleaned their own bathroom from about 10 too, although they stacked the dishwasher from 7 or 8. Whoever leaves the back door takes the recycling to the bin, whatever age. And they tidied their toys from much younger.

I don't think clearing up after a meal, going to the recycling bins, and doing basic things for yourself is too much.

Happyspud · 18/07/2019 08:33

I went to boarding school at 11 so had to do all this sort of stuff myself as well as using a laundrette for all my clothes once a week or so.

Think I’ll get my lot doing this from now though they’re all still very little. No better time to start!

isthatapugunicorn · 18/07/2019 09:14

YANBU! My 7 and 9 year old can do that. And the 9 year old has started helping with laundry so will put a wash on for his and Dsis sheets once bed is stripped... It's not big deal for them to help out around the house, and having 4 people ( even when 2 are little) doing jobs around the house makes everything so much easier.

SmartPlay · 18/07/2019 09:46

@hopelesschildren I don't understand when people say their children do their own washing waht they mean, We have a washing machine which doesn't get full with just mine and DH clothes so wouldn't want dc to wash their clothes in a half empty washing machine

I was wondering about that too - here and in some other threads. If my daughter were to wash her own clothes (especially for the summer), she's need a lot of clothes or wash them with a half full machine.
She does do the washing occasionally, but not just her stuff, but everyones, just like I do.

JacquesHammer · 18/07/2019 09:50

Mine knows how to but I don't make her do it.

However we don't work on a basis of "set chores", both of us just pitch in when we see something that needs doing.

JaceLancs · 18/07/2019 09:52

At primary school 7-11 my DC used to help me with chores
From 11 they made own beds including stripping and remaking, kept own rooms tidy, made own packed lunches and did own ironing
They would also help me with things like cooking and other housework
As a lone parent working full time it worked well
From 15/16 they took over cleaning for me (paid at agreed rate)
DD still cleans for me now £10 an hour even though she lives with her DP

9nine · 18/07/2019 10:00

My 12, 13 & 15 yr olds strip and remake theirs and have done for years as did my oldest two when they lived at home. My 5, 6 & 8 yr olds strip theirs and then help me to remake them, 8 yr old can do a fair bit of it himself so won’t be long before he does it all himself.

It’s a basic skill that everyone needs to learn so I’ve always just got them involved with it.

DogsandBoysmeanMud · 20/07/2019 07:41

9nine!!! 9 kids?! Wowsers!!

stucknoue · 20/07/2019 07:55

Mine stripped from 11, and put them back on from summer hols of being 14

Meangirls36 · 20/07/2019 08:14

Just don't make guests do it.

emajw1983 · 20/07/2019 10:25

I've got teenage boys (15 & 17) and I'm sorry but boys are just minging sometimes!! I make them strip their beds and put them in the machine because I don't wanna touch their grotty sheets! 🤮😆 My 3yr old happily helps me change his bedding but his brothers complain every single time 🙄

Bobbiepin · 20/07/2019 21:04

@SmartPlay I've always assumed that means the kids take their laundry down to be done and the load gets topped up with other family members clothes. Equally, if I go to put a wash on but dd has some clothes that fit (e.g. white wash) then they can go in too although that doesn't happen often because I hate doing laundry.

SmartPlay · 20/07/2019 23:06

@Bobbiepin That makes a little more sense ;) Though I would simply call that "doing laundry" and not "doing their own laundry".

Bobbiepin · 21/07/2019 17:17

@SmartPlay true. Maybe it's just getting kids to out their clothes in the communal basket? I certainly know of some people that can't put clothes in the basket despite it being on their side of the bed....

9nine · 22/07/2019 09:59

@DogsandBoysmeanMud yep I’ve got 9! Didn’t include my 2 yr old in that comment as he just destroys everything lol

DogsandBoysmeanMud · 22/07/2019 10:12

Shock (hoping that is gobsmacked emoji, nothing else!!)

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