Fledglings flying into the Roaring Twenties! January 2020 Flylady thread, all welcome.

[LaneBoy]

Welcome to the first Flylady thread of the decade! This is a friendly ongoing thread where we follow (loosely. In some cases, very loosely. ) the Flylady method for sorting out our homes and lives!

Newbies are always welcome here! It’s a long running thread so please don’t worry if we appear cliquey. There’s a lot of chatter and support for all sorts of things, alongside the housework stuff.

Over recent months we have agreed that big lists of daily links aren’t necessary - on a daily basis I will post (if I remember... it is maybe 18 months since I last hosted so please forgive any screw ups ) a link to the launch pad, which is where you can access the information for that day - babysteps, missions, daily focus etc. But if you’re confused about anything, please ask!

Check out the website too - but we suggest not signing up for the millions of emails.

Information on getting started here.

The great thing about Flylady is that you jump in where you are. Everything you do is progress. Don’t worry about not “keeping up”. Any achievement, however small, means progress.

Anyway, huge thank you to Stressy for running our very busy December thread!

And... HAPPY NEW YEAR FLEDGLINGS!!!

Oh and ta didn’t
❌leave the house. Bugger. I’m still at 22 out of 24 though so not bad really.

ta da
✅paid for chess club on app
✅messaged for confirmation of term dates
✅PayPal for friend sent
✅took swimsuit out of washer, I’ll sort that tomorrow when I find stuff to wash with it (even if I have to stick a giant note on the door saying DO NOT DRY ME)
✅tried booking tesco earlier but really need to do this earlier in the day as no slots left for tomorrow - I swear there used to be more availability as we’d frequently book at 10pm or later

Right must go write and then sleep!

Oh oh and

✅remembered (this morning) to get DS to open up a window in every room. We really need to make a habit of this to air the place out. Might make it a regular job for him (since DD leaves early and not everyone is always up).

Right SERIOUSLY I am stopping now. I’m in a talkative mood apparently. 🤣

Hi all sorry been awol again. Just catching up on your chat about chores for the kids to do. My 2 don't do a lot tbh, they will take plates to the kitchen when finished, rubbish to the bin and tidy toys but only if we tell them to on that one!! They also lay the table for dinner (reluctantly!) They are only 5 and 3 but I haven't thought much about it yet. We are always busy and it always seems easier just to do it ourselves! Not the right thing I know...

Hope you had a good sleep lane eventually!

Wow,busy bees again.

I rang opticians because I didn’t appear to have app. So busy it went to national line and for ring back request. It is 11 am. Mrs Bowerbird. Thank you says I. It might be 1105 is that ok .Yes. Off phone “ DH no time for that need to go.” Grab bag, put shoes on out the door. It takes fifteen minutes on a good day. Twenty minutes later arrive. Take a seat and there is my tutor from years ago so sit with her then called. Anyway now the proud owner of new glasses, sunglasses and trial for contact lenses. So that took 1 1/2 hrs altogether. Home. Lunch. Washed up and back bad so on sofa and a short snooze. DH and cat long snooze.
Changed and went out for lovely meal for friends then drinks. Home to bed. Flying not much.
Must do better. Though if I hadn’t been cleaning boisoir I wouldn’t have put back out! I lifted the damn free standing mirror never again. Did get the dust bunnies though.

Getting teens to do chores is difficult.
Two eldest did more. One wash, one wipe then got dishwasher one load and one unload. Made own beds. Stripped them and brought for wash. Kept own shared room tidy. Sat morning helped. Vacuumed, pets etc. In return for lifts to friends, football or town.
Younger two got away with a bit more. DS when others left and he had own room I never had to say Tidy it. Always bed made and tidy. DD messy. More stuff and crafty. Being rural always had them engaged when they wanted a lift anywhere. Funny that🤣

By 14 DS1&DS2 could:
cook. Several decent meals including a roast dinner.
Wash. Use washing machine so football kits for different teams always ready.
Use dishwasher, tumble drier, vacuum.
Light a fire.
Use a brush indoors and out.
Clean football boots.
Tether a horse, muck out and fed said horse.

DS3 could do above at 16. Not keen on doing the horse once older but very helpful as youngster as he rode her then.Bribery involved lifts to town or sleep overs at our house.

DD very helpful until about 11. Bribery involved picking up friend from town about 15 -20 miles away for sleep over and collecting others a bit like Monopoly as you pass Go! Or reverse pick up said friends from town and return to parents in said towns or on way back. I seemed to do it all. On friends dad had Cancer so didn’t mind. Three of these girls are still friends with DD and now thankfully they can drive. DD can’t. She was cycling 32 miles to her job twice a week for the last year down south.

Hello all, just caught up. I really need to get the girls to do more chores but totally see what you mean about it being easier to do myself foxes.

Ta da:-
Swimming lessons in progress!
Our bed stripped and sheets in machine

Two 18-mth old twin boys visiting us after their nap today (wth their parents)!! Can't wait. Will be lovely to have littlies in the house again... . Have made a selection of "grabbing foods". Have hoovered and mopped and Dettol'ed the floor and stairs and bathroom. Dogs being walked by dh now and then will be taken upstairs to be locked in our bedroom (with dog beds and water) while visitors here. Don't take any chances with dogs and tinies. I may also have bought them some very stylish playsuits and a Playmobil Ark (the range for under 3s) but don't tell dh ... .

Mahoosive waves to everyone!

Enjoy SC

Not caught up fully yet but this:

I think the over-riding influence on them is our example as parents

YES.

This is why I never have a go at my two for being untidy. It’s really not their fault. I sensed that hypocrisy very young from my parents :o wondering how I was meant to keep my room tidy when the rest of the house was awful! (To the point of pests sometimes, I have a lot of anxiety about mouldy food too.)

I try and approach it more like a “working together” type thing and I’m honest about the fact we are all rubbish at it so far but we are trying to learn as a family.

Totally agree about it often being quicker to just do stuff ourselves though! Mine are older but still need a lot of explaining and handholding through it which is frustrating. That said I am very very glad we invested the time to get them good at laundry (very gradually - started with putting folded stuff in drawers, slowly stepped back a bit at a time so then they folded it themselves, then put in dryer etc until they could do the whole process start to finish)

ta da
✅delicates wash for swimsuit and two posh bras 😂
✅shower
✅attempted to organise DD from a distance for her sleepover, she still forgot stuff until she was about to leave 🙄
✅4 hour(!!!) chat in the pub with friend ❤️

Hello fledglings, late check in from me today. Took DD to her activity today and we've all been out shopping this afternoon. DD now counting down to the Masked Singer show. I am looking forward to a takeaway coffee (life on the edge of the sofa again) when we get her a McD meal tonight.

Due to DH's diet their is no Burns Night supper for us, so will have a shortbread biscuit instead of our usual Haggis and Cranachan I do like shortbread though!

Trying to get ahead with the organisation and meal planning for next week to ensure we've got suitable meals in for DH. Have just bought a large quantity of chicken that can be used for meals and for lunches if cooked in advance. The large packs still need splitting so will do that later tonight or tomorrow

Will reboot laundry now we have more washing powder after shopping. Really trying to be my future friend for next week! (a TOMM phrase and a good one)

Catch you later!

Sláinte Mhath! Chic!

And that "future friend" business - although it sounds a bit vomitus - I find it really does help if one frames a job you are dreading that way in your mind, rather than the usual "I must, I should etc etc" ... which can be offputting/demoralising... so it really does work imho!

Waves back to Toostressy! The littlies have gone! They are fab . Boy did they pack the food away too! One of them was always on the move. The other was more sedentary but very busy in position ifyswim . Hats off to the parents who looked pretty exhausted but at least we got some food in to them too and gave them a bit of respite! Going to see more of them as they have moved back to this country.

Have cleared up. House looking unusually tidy as we packed everything away out of toddlers' reach. Bathroom and kitchen very shiny too.

Just about to hang up school uniform wash to dry.

And then there is the boudoir which is utterly putrid ... but may do that tomorrow ... as feel quite tired now ... .

G'night all!

Didn't mean goodnight ... not that exhausted ... meant "have a good evening" everyone!

Being parents to 18 month old twins must be total exhaustion .

I bet they really appreciated the food and respite .

Hello all! Dropped off the thread for 36 hours and you've all done masses! Not much achieved Chez Willow, except usual Morning Routine and Evening Routine.

On the topic of DC and chores:
when they were (very) small, the only jobs were putting toys away (just sling them in a box) and putting their own clothes away once clean.
When bigger (5-12 ish) everyone had one table setting job (plates or cutlery or serving dishes or glasses) and everyone cleared their own place into the dishwasher. Hanging up coats, putting away shoes and putting lunch boxes to wash after school was a given. Packing school bags the night before was also mandatory although some DC did it better than others!
Now that they are bigger (9-18) everyone has 1 day when they are responsible for all washing in baskets and changing their own beds and towels. Emptying the DW and reloading is rotational. DS2 does all his own laundry, none of it is anything to do with me. They also manage all their own homework (although DS3 has help with this as online school has increased the homework markedly from mainstream school). They often have a choice of taking the dog out so I can hoover, or hoovering while I take the dog out.

DD can also earn extra pocket money by sweeping and mopping 2 bathrooms and the kitchen / utility / cloakroom once a week (only , or she'd do it daily some weeks!). DS3 earns extra by dusting for me. DS2 earns extra by tutoring DS3 in maths. On Sundays, everyone supposedly tidies their room and hoovers ready for the new week (yeah, right!).

SC sounds like 18 month old littlies were lovely! Hope you had lots of fun. Bower sounds like you made your DC into a good team to get things done. Lane, I know what you mean about setting an example. My DM was an "intermittent" housekeeper (as was her DM) and I've had to fight hard against family disapproval to build a system of my own - I know they think I'm boring for having a housekeeping schedule a la Flylady, but equally I can find most things and see my floors. DM has kind of embraced Flylady in her old age. My DSis is an appalling housekeeper and so is my niece, but it doesn't stop DSis getting very angry with niece that she is untidy. The apple does not fall far from the tree...

Happy Burns Night / Chinese New Year as appropriate, everyone.

SC 18mo twins sound like so much fun and hard work at the same time.

willow welcome back!

Re chores again, I can never seem to get my 2 to make their beds in the morning, what have any of you said/ done/ bribed to get them to do that simple chore every day?

Ta Das today;

Work 4 1/2 hours, swept pine cones up from the path outside, and patio. The ground got dried enough so figured I had better take advantage. I'm sick and tired of having to sweep them up in my kitchen as they get carted in. Even though I don't allow shoes on in the house, thats the door we come in. I also bribed DS into picking up dog poop since the snow has melted. We're about to head out to ILS for dinner tonight, so one less thing I have to do.

Lane I bet you needed that chat in the pub. I went out for a girl's night last night and we had a great time catching up. I also have to remind DS of everything to pack- he usually has lots of one thing but none of another.

Chic that saying is one I need to remember. I'm a huge procrastinator and get mad at myself for finding things I should have done another time, such as setting something down in a room but not taking 2 extra steps to put it away grrr. I'm getting better, more conscious of it, but that saying might help.

I fell off the thread too! Life is so busy! Just going to have a read through!

It's so true about parents being examples!! We had a big table when I was a kid that used to get everything dumped on and I can remember my dad shouting at me to put my stuff upstairs and then I pointed out to him the amount of stuff on that table that was his... needless to say I got even more told off for being rude! But it does make.me think twice about telling the kids off for leaving stuff around, I know they're only little as well, but I try and reframe it as a "let's all tidy up the table so we have space to do x, y, z" and be more positive rather than just shouting "move your stuff now!"

I'm hungover this morning But I'm trying to pretend I'm not to trick myself into feeling fine!

Hazel - I gave up on the DCs and bedmaking a long time ago. All we do with ours is turn the duvet down and leave it to air all day, its not as if anyone else sees it.

I rarely make my own bed so i have no idea how to enforce that

Making beds isn’t even on our radar

Can’t remember when I last linked to the launch pad either . Renew your spirit today.

So much to do today. Only just woke up, definitely needed the lie in but it does mean I am taking my meds late and it probably means Cagletini will nap late and then not sleep. Sigh.

Going to get up, take meds, have breakfast and make sure I’m vaguely presentable for when DD is dropped home. Then maybe I’ll think about doing stuff. Maybe.

I’ve also been AWOL for a few days! Just catching up.

I’m trying hard to instill some good habits in DD - i make her help me put her toys away, put her shoes in the box when we come in the front door, put rubbish in the bin and clear her plate from the table. She also ‘helps’ when I’m dusting and likes loading the washing machine. I remember quite enjoying helping my DM as a child. I loved hcleaning the bathroom for some reason. I definitely required a lot of nagging in my teenage years though. I think if the skills are taught early on it probably isn’t the end of the world if a teenager rebels / resists / hasn’t got the time to do as much as they should. I morphed into a reasonably capable adult despite it being a wonder I survived living in a hovel of a bedroom for a few years . If it’s left to one person doing absolutely everything while others do nothing but add to the work then that would be a problem though.

Bet it was lovely to have little ones in the house for a bit SC I can send a 2 year old whenever you like

Hope you’re all well, especially those that have been under the weather / stressed / had appointments.

I just about kept the house ticking over Thursday and Friday. Yesterday I got up early and washed and dried all work clothes plus a load of towels. Hoovered and cleaned downstairs floors, dusted downstairs including pulling out fire guard and giving the log burner / hearth a thorough dusting. Cleaned hob, washed breakfast things, washed vacuum filter and cleaned both loos / sinks - all by 9:30am. We then had a nice few hours with DD before my lovely DSis came to babysit and me and DH went out for a boozy lunch and afternoon drinks.

Today I have achieved absolutely nothing, other than get me and my quilt downstairs, eat toast and drink tea brought to me by DH, and pretend to eat DD’s play doh cookies. We are planning a lazy Sunday, with a delivered Sunday lunch. I will have to do some ironing and sort some work lunches at some point though, and should really get DD out for a walk. Will require a prod with the pointy stick if anyone can oblige?

Welcome back to AWOL people!

Right well DD1 didn’t sleep at all at the sleepover 🙄 so she has handed over her phone and is under strict instructions to laze in bed for a bit - DH has digital copies of some movies on his tablet so she’s put Harry Potter on.

DH is now up and about (he had an even longer lie in, he managed to fall over yesterday and injure himself further 🤦‍♀️) and I’m feeling somewhat stressed but need to crack on with stuff.

To do:
🎯message friend about buying something from her
🎯make sure lots of laundry is happening (even if it’s not me who does it)
🎯make sure DD unpacks her sleepover stuff
🎯make sure DD gets her school stuff ready
🎯check homework and make a plan with DD - at least one is due tomorrow. Finding it hard to keep up myself TBH!
🎯supervise said homework
🎯discuss the weekly planner thing with DH, and what sort of chores the Caglets will have to start, and hopefully make it - paper copy will do for now
🎯find laminator and if successful, print both weeks’ timetable and laminate back to back (so we can turn it round each weekend)
🎯make some time to draw and relax, and write notes on any guilt that appears as per my ACEs course homework!
🎯renew library books
🎯get my stuff ready for tomorrow
🎯get Cagletini’s stuff ready for tomorrow
🎯take vitamins
🎯sort through DS’ home ed work so far and see what else needs printing for maths (printed too much last week)
🎯see if DS needs a new English book and decide what to use
🎯discuss with friend if her DS is coming round to do work with mine tomorrow and Thursday
🎯read through notes for something and delete what I can
🎯plan “person of the week” worksheet with DS - at least tomorrow’s (like geography the plan is to have five simple ones to do through the week as he said he prefers this, and he’s been coming up with questions to put on it!)
🎯check Tesco order and try and vaguely meal plan for a few days

Uggggh. Can I sleep instead?!

Yesterday's ta-das were just the standard but I'm determined to get a lot done today.

Starting in the living room by moving furniture to hoover under it which means DH can't just sit on it so bonus is he's actually helping.

Have sorted out youngest DS toybox and going to give some to the baby/toddler group round the corner where we used to go while I was on maternity leave. Some of the stuff he just got for Xmas but he has so many toys he's overwhelmed.

My lot make their beds because as soon as they get up in the morning they know they have to get washed, dressed, teeth done, beds made and clothes in basket before they come down for breakfast. It's just become habit now.