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!

@Oceanwaves2018 please stage a strike!

@Glastonbury2020 I think you are my hero!

OP you are a legend!

It will be worth it op.

This is brilliant. I particularly enjoyed you leaving the soup carton and biscuit wrapper on the side.

Please let us know what happens with the pork. Or you could cook yourself a delicious roast and not share it. Eat your own portion and then slice and refridgerate or freeze the rest of the meat for sandwiches. Just for you though of course.

Typical - they order in food because they're all too bone idle to make dinner.

It does sound like you will be in this for the long haul.
It will probably take at least 2 weeks before they start to pull their weight.

I couldn't handle that for 2 weeks.

Actually I couldn't handle being taken for a mug more. Anyone else been through this?

I am waiting with interest to see what happens when the snacks/milk/butter/bread/ etc run out....

Stay strong OP, it sounds as though the message is starting to get through

Remember to buy extra socks and underwear, so they run out before you, and they'll have to do laundry

Various PP have suggested family meeting, rota etc. Great idea, but please wait until they suggest it. It's not your responsibility to sort this, or to delegate tasks

Yeah. Think of it like controlled crying. Why put everyone through all that drama without making sure you get the end result?

Unreasonable? NOT! I'm joining you! (remotely of course) am downing tools as we "speak"!
[Fish finger sandwiches - not had one of those for ages - YUM]

Hasn't your husband opened up the conversation yet ? Does he just get into bed at the end of the day like everything is hunky dory?

Remember to buy extra socks and underwear, so they run out before you, and they'll have to do laundry

Why? Just wash your own laundry, you don’t need to purchase extra

I'm a single parent and mine will all be teenagers at the same time. I'm way overly invested as to how this is resolved.

@BarbaraofSeville

^Update! We had our takeaway curry then I left the table. The dishwasher is on and the empty chocolate biscuit packet has gone! 😅 The floor still hasn't been swept- 2 chips from last nights dinner still lying there. I'll let you know how tomorrow's roast pork lunch goes^

Do you think they're going to cook the pork?

That's the worry when an organised pro active person starts to behave like the rest of the lazy household. No-one picks up from them and it all gets expensive and wasteful.

Managing food so it's available and not wasted takes mental effort in addition to the physical effort of doing the cooking, so if they default to takeaways and don't bother to use up food that is in the fridge, it costs far more than it has to do. Likewise if they don't think about doing a proper weekly shop and default to picking things up one at a time at the local convenience store.

They'll learn.

Yes, pop your own things in the machine while humming cheerfully.

No more House Elf!

Good for you.
Considering the times we live in, families need to appreciate each other and take their responsibilities. You never know when your mum might not be around any more.

You have inspired me. 32 weeks pregnant. 5 year old not going to school like most children. I am ridiculously tired. Partner works long hours in the week. Desperately need some space and time to myself. Went for a walk yesterday (wanted to go alone, they knew this) Husband and child followed me round the whole way round but about 5 metres behind me?! Why?! There is so many places he could have taken child. He cooked dinner as I was having a chill out upstairs and then I hear them stuffing their faces downstairs without me so I had cornflakes for dinner. Today I have left them doing the crap jobs I usually do. He does some house work but its always always the same. Never pitches in with other stuff. Never even cleaned the loo. So I'm sat having a cup of tea whilst they put child's clothes away.

@Thankyounot
He cooked dinner hut you didn’t get any ? Why ?
I would be furious and especially when pregnant

Passive agressive bullying IMO

You're doing the right thing I think, but your husband and children sound too stupid to actually have gotten the point yet. This is the third day and they still haven't gotten it. You'll be on this for a while before any of them finally figure it out. Quite bad that your husband in particular is this dense, I hope he doesn't have an important job? I wouldn't trust him with anything at this rate.

@cooltalkin apparently he thought I was asleep but didn't think to check which made me grumpy so I just sorted out my own food!

Why can't your DH help with lots of this stuff? everyone seems to focus on the teens? yes, they can definitely help too but if they're under 18/16 then the majority should surely fall on your DH.

Loving this thread, keep going OP x

The problem with playing passive aggressive games is that it is just that. It's amusing at the time but achieves nothing. They are all just biding their time until things go back to normal so nothing will change. That's fine if that's all OP wants to achieve but I don't think she should be fooled into thinking she's teaching a lesson here.