Tried fly and others - help family of 6, please!!

[goingmadinthecountry]

I have 4 children - 17, 15, 14 and 7, and a dh who works abroad all week. Also a labrador, 2 rabbits and a cat. Our household is very busy - it was our bad decision to live in the country therefore our responsibility to ensure that our children access activities that will help them (sport, extra work sessions etc). Build into that my work plus some tutoring and our house is a tip. We do 2 loads of laundry a day, dishwasher on twice, all meals home cooked. How do I keep my house tidy and clean?? Any tips from busy working mums of lots appreciatedxx

I have every sympathy with you.I also have 4 dc's -much younger than yours and a dh who works overseas for weeks at a time.My eldest dd. [11] is really good at helping and the other kids can be bribed to help if pocket money is offered [dependant on jobs done].Can you not assign a rota so eveyone has a specific job to do as your dc's are old enough to understand that you need help.Can you pay someone to help you with the ironing [ thats what my mum did with 4 dc's!].I must admit i have a cleaner who comes once a week who isn't phased by the chaos [and weewee in the bins courtesy of my youngest].Failing that just drink a lot of wine -this helps for me

Wine definitely a good idea! I had a great cleaner but she moved. Practically impossible in our area to get one with transport - the last 2 I've had I had to collect/drop off to the nearest town as neither drove and no bus. Now I'm working can no longer do that.

Kids will help, especially for money! I guess I'll have to be tougher at keeping them to a rota - am probably too soft. It just seems a never ending round of boring chores though - surely life's meant to be more fun?

"All meals home cooked"

That's admirable and healthy but is there anything you could do to save time? Make large batches to put in the freezer? Let the older DCs cook a meal a couple of times a week (good practice for them!)?

yes get the children to help, i have four really young children, my eldest son who is 6 helps me hoover and dust. my others aged 5 and 2 at 2 years old(twins) do help tidy and help with some cooking.

i was one of four and i was cooking meals at 10years old. when my mum left at 12 i could cook propper meals on my own to help out as i was the eldest and my dad worked long hours.
i also used to hoover, dust, do the washing etc. i am not saying to get your kids doing all of that but some of the chores on a rota whould help you as well as give them some important survival skills, it helped me alot when i went off to uni.

i make batches of food for the freezer, make sure they are frozen in small enough batches for the microwave. i do lasagne in bulk and split into small batches so when i am short of time i can pop them out of the freezer and into the microwave and add some salad and garlic bread.
i also find writing a menu for we week and then doing my shopping list from that helps alot, i know what i am cooking and when i have to start every day, so i dont run around trying to find something to cook at 4pm. it also saves me money. you could then set one or two nights when your children cook and easy meal go through some cookery books with them and let them choose somthing could make it more fun.

I agree I'm better when I write a menu (and remember to take stuff out of freezer!) - did it last week and everything went smoothly, though cooking double would mean cooking basically for 10 adults so I've never really done it. Ds in particular is great at cooking and always eager to do the evening meal - was rolling slightly dodgy sushi for his lunch box at 8! It's the mess that really gets to me - we seem to use the house as a drop and go dumping ground.

See, I'm not working today but still haven't done much. Need to kick myself firmly up the bum. Will at least do menu plan in the next 20 mins before I go out, and change laundry again. I really admire all you motivated organised people.

Watching with interest as a mum of 4 (eldest 5, youngest 8 weeks), living in a complete mess, too.

I have no idea either I'm afraid - I have 5, eldest are 18, youngest is 1, so watching with interest too!
One tip - re meals, I have found that my eldest two have a lot more done for them than maybe they would have if they didn't have little brothers, as I am always cooking for the littlies I tend to do stuff for the twins as well. They are off to uni this autumn and I fear for them as they have no kitchen skills/enthusiasm whatsoever!
So we decided that once a week they cook for the whole family, mainly to increase their cooking skills but also because they don't get too complacent and spoilt! They do it every Thurs and they have become quite competitive as each one cooks alternate weeks and asks for scores out of ten etc. Love it as I get a night off cooking too!!
Maybe you could try something like that? Under the guise of it being for their own good of course!!