Had enough of my family. I've gone on strike!

[Glastonbury2020]

Locked down with DH and 4 teenagers. Apart from me, no one:

• cooks any proper meals
• loads/ unloads the dishwasher
• puts a wash on
• wipes kitchen surfaces/ cooker top
• sweeps the floor
• cleans the bathroom
• makes lunch

I have had enough and I'm not doing it all anymore. Last night, I made myself a fish finger sandwich for dinner and ate it in my room. Ignored everyone when they wanted to know what was for dinner. This morning, I made breakfast for me and I'm now sitting in bed drinking tea. Rant over. Thank you for listening!

@FoodieToo

Sorry but I can't believe this. You live in a house with 5 adults and you do everything ?? More fool you. I have 5 kids . Everything is divided. Nobody sits down until everything is done . Ridiculous. Why do women do this?

Where did you get 5 adults from?

Please keep it up.
Those lazy lummoxes in your home are only angling for you to get back to the grindstone asap.
This had to be a long term change.

I'm still fixated on the fishfimger sandwich , I love fishfimger sandwiches

Think it's the only way to make a difference tbh. Well done and stick to your very, very, very valid guns!!

@lightlypoached

I'm still fixated on the fishfimger sandwich , I love fishfimger sandwiches

Me too! With tartare sauce. Even if it’s 3.20-something in the middle of the night 😊

Keep it up OP. 2 adults and 2 teenage boys in this house. DH does breakfast, we all do our own lunch and we share out the evening meal. Whoever doesn't cook clears up after tea. I currently have a bad back and am doing very little housework. DH is doing a lot of the weekly stuff like cleaning bathrooms and floors. The boys sort their own rooms and we all help with laundry. DH has always done the ironing as he enjoys it but we don't have much especially when there are no school uniforms.

DH lost his Mum at 13 and not only had to fend for himself with Dad at work and older brother at uni but he also had to take care of his little sister. He soon learned that if he wanted something done he had to do it himself and is quite independent. I want the boys to be the same but hopefully not for the same reason whereas he does molly coddle them a bit in the mornings because he remembers missing this in particular after he lost his mum.

How long are we on strike for? Is the house clean or a war zone?

I think the key age for training up re chores is 6-9. This is the age when they can be genuinely useful. Taught my DD how to do a full tidy of the living room and at first involved bribery - and lots of serious talks about how when people live together everyone needs to pull their weight. Now she's 13 its second nature.

I think if they've got away with this kind of stuff in the long term throwing a strop and taking to your bed will only bring about short term change. You need to change too OP, to ensure a new normal, or those ingrained behaviours will reassert themselves.

@GetTheDebtGoneIn2021 let us know how it goes when she is 15

@MrsBennettsSecretSon es. I was aware of how smug I sounded as I hit post

Shamelessly place marking for your update OP!

Update! Made myself a bacon sandwich for brunch. The dishwasher was loaded and put on last night! The empty biscuit packet was still on the side! My soup carton was in the recycling bin. Floor still hasn't been swept. DH asked what I fancied for dinner. I said whatever they were cooking! DS3 made me a cup of tea and I'm on the sofa with the cat on my lap. Small steps! 😆😆

Good on you! You're teaching your kids (and hopefully husband) a valuable lesson.

Once things have settled down, I agree with pp re sitting down together and writing a rota of chores for everyone. And agree the consequence for people not doing them.

Part of parenting is preparing your kids to be responsible so good on you. Any future housemates/partners will be appreciative!

👏 👏

You're doing so well!!

Sounds like they're getting the message- keep it up!

Im enjoying this thread 🤣

This is great! Well done. Maybe set yourself an end point for the full on strike and then go to “working to rule” where you explain what you will be doing and what will be shared out. Do SPELL OUT to them that they create work by living in the house - so they have a responsibility to share the clearing up etc too. Many kids do not get this as it’s never explained and then feel hard done by that they’re having to do the housework as if it exists all by itself.

In the same boat- place marking to read later and take notes.

I think is wonderful! You are not being unreasonable at all and they need to learn that you aren't there just to do those things! Good for you!!

All power to you! And sod off all the smug bastards with perfect families that criticise!

Loving this post

You’re doing amazingly well. Have been reading since yesterday morning.

Loving your work OP

Excellent! enough is enough! keep doing it until they all want to commit to doing shores! have your todo list ready to share it and for them to take their turn!

@Fortunefavours1

You rock op. Hope they start pulling their weight.

This!! Good luck, stay strong 💪🏽