DS15 and chores

[FrenchOnionDip]

We can no longer comfortably afford a housekeeper due to a slight change in circumstances. I've discussed it with DS, and we agreed on a 'chore plan'.

DS:

• Vacuum the first floor and his bedroom once a week (his choice on day)
• Clean his bathroom once every fortnight
• Dust once a week

Me:

• Vacuum the second floor and my bedroom and the study once a week
• Clean my bathroom and the downstairs bathroom once a fortnight
• Do all the laundry

It's just DS and me and our 2 dogs and our cat. This week I asked DS if he had vacuumed the floor as everything was covered in dog hair and it turns out it's unfair that I ask him to do that as 'nobody he knows does chores'! Am I asking for too much? He also thinks that cleaning the bathroom especially is 'degrading' but that's a separate issue. How much chores would you give your 15 year old? I work FT and am the sole provider so can't do them all myself and I also think it'd be nice for him to get some responsibility around the house as well.

I have 2 DCs 15 & 18, we lost our cleaner after COVID.
I clean the bathroom
DS dusts and hoovers
Dd Irons
DH does the kitchen.

Your division sounds fair. We all clear up after dinner.

thinks that cleaning the bathroom especially is 'degrading'

Oh dear. Who does he think should clean his bathroom?

Tell him what my mother would tell us when we would cry about how unfair things were as teenagers
"Life is unfair, now get cleaning"

Yup.

life’s hard.

it’s irrelevant that his mates don’t do chores (yeah, like we believe that) cos they don’t live in your house.

he is a member of the household and jolly well should be pitching in with chores. He’s being really lazy. He doesn’t have a choice to have mummy running around after him..

its actually incredibly insulting that he thinks cleaning his own bathroom degrading, but presumably thinks it’s fine for you to do it. Does he want you to wipe his bum too?

he needs bringing back down to Earth.

Sounds like a spoilt brat. Stop doing anything for him and see how he likes it.