Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Do you like being at home with the kids BUT HATE THE HOUSEWORK??

61 replies

ssd · 23/01/2006 12:50

Sorry I want a moan.

I love my kids and I'm glad I'm here at home for them.

ButI'm sick of the washing/ironing/cooking/hoovering/dishes/tidying up etc etc. we live in a tiny house so I need to keep it tidy otherwise I can't move.

How the hell do you manage if you work full time, when does it get done?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Nemo1977 · 23/01/2006 12:55

I hate hate hate housework, neverending none gratifying work. Love being with my kids and getting out and about but hate tidying toys, doing washing dusting dishes, bottles,hoovering, ironing etc.

NomDePlume · 23/01/2006 12:59

When both DH and I worked full time (before DD, so we only had 2 kids, who were over 7), we used to have to do the housework on the weekends. One of us would take downstairs and the other would do upstairs, it used to take us a whole afternoon, so it ate up 1/4 of our weekend . The house was reasonably tidy during the week, mainly because there was noone around during the day to mess it up!

Kelly1978 · 23/01/2006 12:59

nah, I like the hosuework and hate the kids.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

zaphod · 23/01/2006 13:01

The answer to that question is...if you are out working all day, then no-one is at home to mess it up. If you are home with the kids, then they will make it untidy, yoghurt on the patio doors, toys on floors, spills and stains on carpets, drawing on walls....I could go on.

My SILs houses are always pristine, and I say it's because no-one is home during the day. It makes me feel better to think that, anyway.

CountessDracula · 23/01/2006 13:01

We have a cleaner twice a week!

NomDePlume · 23/01/2006 13:03

I used to do one load of laundry a day, I'd put it in the machine in the morning and let it run whilst we were at work/school, and then dry it in the evenings (unless it was summer, then I'd put a wash on overnight and hang it on the line in the morning before work). I don't really iron, in fact, it tends to only be DH's shirts that need the iron running over them, so I've never had a huge ironing pile to contend with, like some.

Spidermama · 23/01/2006 13:03

It goes on and on doesn't it ssd. Personally I wouldn't have a cleaner because it's my mess so I want to deal with it.

Laundry is the worst. How many times has anyone ever said to you, 'Wow! My drawer is full of clean socks. Well done. You're so good at this'?

moondog · 23/01/2006 13:05

I like housework too. So does dh.
He tells me he spent the entire w/end cleaning our flat in Turkey form top to bottom. (Mind you,fa else to do-snow is a metre deep.)

I have never lost a sock eaither

soapbox · 23/01/2006 13:05

Zaphod - that doesn't work unfortunately if you have a nanny!!

I'm the same as CD - 4 hours cleaner on Monday and 5 hours on Thursday seems to keep things under control.

I'm ruthless in the evenings and at weekends - things have to be sorted out before I sit down for hte evening. TBH I have a bigger problem with domestic admin (bills, tax returns, school forms etc etc) than I do with cleaning. Never seem to be able to keep on top of it!

NomDePlume · 23/01/2006 13:06

Lol, spidey. My DH is usally whining that he's running out of socks and is having to use 'christmas socks', you know, the cringey character socks that every Dad has...

beatie · 23/01/2006 13:14

DH and I both clean the house on the weekend even though I am at home with a baby and a 3 YO all week.

It's not a big house so it doesn't take more than an hour of joint effort to dust, vacuum and clean the bathroom and kitchen.

Throughout the week all I take care of are daytime dishes, laundry and I give the kitchen floor a sweep when necessary. I hate how the laundry is a never ending cycle and don't get me started on how many dirty dishes are created from breakfast, snacks and lunch when your family is at home during the day. DH doesn't believe that (his) supper + breakfast + lunch dishes = the same amount of washing-up as our evening dinner creates.

And I think he has no concept of how much picking up and putting away I do each day. Argh - it's like Groundhog Day. But then I cannot function in mess and clutter so it has to be done.

Nbg · 23/01/2006 13:19

I hate housework with a passion but love the feeling when the house is pristine clean. I don't get that feeling very often

I have a ton of things I should be doing now but curling up on the sofa with dd and cup of tea and a creme egg seems a much better thing to do.

beansprout · 23/01/2006 13:20

I work 3 days a week but have still ended up with all of the housework. Wtf?!!!

cod · 23/01/2006 13:20

Message withdrawn

swedishmum · 23/01/2006 13:22

I get quite depressed at the mess - dh works away and when i had 3 children at school I could keep in under control, but I'd forgotten how much stuff toddlers have. It's quick enough to vacuum etc if you don't have to move loads of stuff first. Tried my best to find a cleaner after mine retired but we're pretty remote so not easy to find one with transport. I used to have to collect my last one from the town 8 miles away!

brimfull · 23/01/2006 13:28

I detest housework,it is such a thankless task,someone on here I think likened it to threading a necklace with no knot on the end!

My dh does nothing around the house.He maintains that he works outside the house ,and it's my job to do all the domestic crap.I agree to a certain extent,but at the end of a tiring day it would be nice if he offered to help do the washing up.

Also it would be good if he did the jobs around the house he thinks he should do ie. the repairs ,diy etc.Instead we wait bloody years for things to get done.

I'm positive he makes out his day is so bloody tiring just to avoid housework.

Any other dh's of sahm do any housework.

edam · 23/01/2006 13:47

Wow, ggirl, your dh really is taking the mickey, isn't he? You are both working all day and, tbh, working outside the home is probably easier than being a SAHM (I've worked full-time outside the home, been at home on maternity leave and am now working from home part-time so this is based on experience). Why the hell should he get to work 40 hours a week while you work 16 hours a day (assuming you sleep 8 hours)? Who made you his slave? When do you get time off? When does your working day finish? Sort him out now!

suzywong · 23/01/2006 13:48

I haven't read this thread but I can't imagine anyone would answer ; No, the housework is the highlight of my day.

Am I right or am I right?

Bloody drudgery

suzywong · 23/01/2006 13:49

oh bloody Nora, just read it, but of course - the ever contrary Moondog

ggglimpopo · 23/01/2006 13:51

Message withdrawn

satine · 23/01/2006 13:51

I wish mess and dirt didn't bother me, then I wouldn't care when everything I've just tidied up is all over the floor again, or when the second set of clothes I've put on my toddler has to be washed again almost instantly but I sometimes fear I have OCD so I keep on doing it. I love it when the house is tidy and clean but mostly it's a midden

Sadeyedladyofthelowlands · 23/01/2006 14:17

I'm a freak - I like housework...
I hate working and have made motherhood and housework my job. Never been happier.
Sorry.

brimfull · 23/01/2006 14:19

you're right edam,i did ask him to do the dishes the other night.His respone was "you obviously don't realise what I do all day" which i couldn't be bothered to reply to.he washed up but in a huffy way.I ignored it all as couldn't be arsed to get into the same old arguement .Since then have been askinh around my friends and he's unusual in not helping out more.I've told him this and his answer is that he gets up really early for work,4.30-6 depending on the day.He does go to bed early and acually probably gets more sleep than me.

His attitude is ,well you were having a coffee with your friend for two hours today whilst I was working so why should I do more work when I get home.

lahdeedah · 23/01/2006 14:29

There was an interesting Anne Karpf column on this topic in Saturday Guardian.......

Link

For my part, I don't mind general cleaning and tidying, it's just things like washing up and laundry and that just seem to never end that I hate.........

lahdeedah · 23/01/2006 14:35

ggirl - so your dh never has a coffee break at work? he doesn't have any non-work-related conversations between leaving the house and getting home at night?? how ridiculous. My point of view is that when my husband and I both worked full-time we managed to share the household chores, so why should it be any different now, because my day job is now looking after our daughter.

Flip

1 2 3