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!

Good work OP.

I'm currently in bed eating Maltesers. I got in about an hour ago after an 11 hour shift to find DH still hasn't washed up from last night.

I think lockdown is putting a lot of families and relationships under huge strain. Being together 24/7 is not normal.

I love it. I want a fish finger sandwich now.
Please don’t give up, it may well bother you before it bothers them.

I think you need a bacon sandwich this evening, left that smell waft!

Good for you, I feel like a cooking robot at the moment.... only me and husband but had 4 girls at home so know how unrelenting it can be.
They did cook as they got older to be fair but bloody hell every day was Groundhog Day for a while...

This has me bubbling with annoyance about my mother in law suggesting I take 10-11am for myself as by then anyone who w ate breakfast will have had it....

I haven't made breakfast for anyone since the kids were small except for Christmas and birthdays or other special food days.

@SunshineCake

Of course she’s right, you’d be free to start lunch at 11.00!

We have had a rota for a long time. Now we don't need one as everyone is so used to doing things that it gets done automatically

That’s exactly the point we’re at, Murinae
If you start early in and stuck to your guns, it does become automatic for the children. Doesn’t work if you’ve settled for a lazy arse as a partner, but that’s a different battle.

[quote Belinda554]@SunshineCake

Of course she’s right, you’d be free to start lunch at 11.00![/quote]
. But if she thought that.

I mostly don't make lunch Monday to Friday for anyone either and somehow have roped dh in to do dinner tonight as I can't be bothered.

Good for you OP. Please keep this up and keep us updated!

My mum went on strike once! She did nothing for 4 days and the house was such a mess! After 4 days my dad got her a cleaner 😂 and we all had to do our own washing!

Ooh. Fish fingers sandwich!!!

Agree about it developing good habits for adulthood too. I spent 4 months at my parents the first lockdown with two other adult siblings (I live in London and there wasn't space for DH and I to work at home, other siblings had employment disrupted by covid but were working again) and we had rotas, for cooking and cleaning - each person did a room a week and cooked a night a week. Everyone did own breakfast and lunch.

I was shocked to find a neighbour with almost identically aged children was doing literally everything for them - I appreciate the children were working and our parents are retired, but they are living in your house for free! She was so resentful but she also let them get away with it. If they are a bit too young to do a full rota you just adjust the chores accordingly.

What's for dinner, OP?

have you always done everything around the house without asking for help

It’s not OPs job to clean up after everyone ‘help’ isn’t what’s she’s asking for. What she wants is for everyone to take responsibility for their own mess.

@Glastonbury2020
What’s for dinner? I hope the wine or gin is flowing.
Can I suggest you order one of those graze boxes or afternoon tea box from a local cafe/caterer as a nice weekend treat.

I reached this exact same point today

DH and teen DC all at home 24/7 since about March

Today I lost the plot and have said I no longer “do” lunch for us all as I’m pissed off

I’ll do dinner but that’s it

DH has a habit of eying up whatever I’m making and saying he fancies it. But no more. Lunch for 4 IS more work than lunch for 1

They are all too precious and spoilt to make themselves a sandwich, so if I don’t lay out food they eat a slice of dry bread by the sink, then skulk around for snacks all afternoon

Actually, it’s only 2 of them that do that. DS1 made himself (and us) sushi last week

But anyway

Raaaah

Well Done, OP!

Keep it up! 👍

Eldest DC (19) brought me a plate of oven fish and chips! I didn't even ask! I left the empty plate outside my bedroom door, as someone suggested!

@Glastonbury2020

Eldest DC (19) brought me a plate of oven fish and chips! I didn't even ask! I left the empty plate outside my bedroom door, as someone suggested!

Someone's found the freezer and another has read the instructions for the oven. Well done OP.

''AAARGHHH....There's no loo rollllllll!!!!!!''

''Aargh! There's no BREAD!''

''Muuuuuuughmmm!!! There's no MILK!''

Muuummmmm!!!!!!!!! there are no clean clothesss!!!!!!!!

MUUMMMM!!!! NO LAUNDRY SOAP!!!!

OP. Do not give in.

@Glastonbury2020

Eldest DC (19) brought me a plate of oven fish and chips! I didn't even ask! I left the empty plate outside my bedroom door, as someone suggested!

Result!!!!

👍

This is GENIUS! Please keep us updated!

YANBU. My 8 year old DD does basic chores I'm enjoying it while it lasts.