Help around house....12 and 10 year olds

[hypermum1]

Hi all. How much do your children help
Out around the house? Mine are driving me crazy! All they want to do is sit around on the x box. When I ask them to do the smallest of jobs all hell breaks lose! They are both quite mature and more than capable but they are lazy! So, do other peoples kids help out??!!

[Soooosie]

Non of my sisters were taught/had chores and they were all lazy feckers. Couldn't make a sandwich and lived in a pig sty

[Cabawill]

Mine are 6 and 4 and are always asking to help. Hope this continues! They don't get pocket money but every day they:

Make their beds, open curtains, put dirty clothes in the basket, clear their places and put their plates etc in the dishwasher, put toys away, hang up coats and put shoes in cupboard.

They ask to and can (with supervision): put the dishwasher on, put the liquid and softener in the washing machine, select the programme and set it off, 6 year old can Hoover and both dust/ wipe surfaces.

I just see it as we all muck in together so we get more fun time to spend. If I'm constantly picking up after them then I have less time to play.

[RookieMonster]

Smaller bodies fit up the chimneys easier anyway.

[LeaLeander]

If mine gave me backtalk about ordinary chores while playing on xbox, the xbox would be at the charity shop the next day and all the other screens in the house would be unplugged or disabled indefinitely.

My mother made housecleaning a fun game from when we were quite small; we liked playing "maid" and learned how to clean and cook, do laundry and maintain an orderly household in an entertaining way. So we never balked at helping with these tasks at any age and I'm hard pressed to understand why anyone puts up with kids who will not do their share.

[NotdeadyetBOING]

Reading this thread has made me realise what a total door mat I am being with my DCs. They do nothing. Much eye-rolling if asked to tidy their rooms, pick towels off the bathroom floor or empty bath. Rooms are a tip. I try to insist that they take their piles of clean clothes and put them away, but that's a struggle. I need to turn things around fast. Easier said than done with a v. highly strung pre-teen.

[JustDanceAddict]

11 & 13 here & they are supposed to
Keep room tidy - this is hit and miss!!
Bring dirty clothes to laundry basket - most of time
Take their plates to worktop - most of time
Hang up their clothes - hit and miss as I get fed up with clothes strewn everywere and do it myself
Clean hair out of shower - this is for DD and she does it now
If I ask them to do something they usually do it without too much grumbling like emptying dishwasher or clearing up.
They will occasionally hoover, dust, etc. if I ask as well.
I would say they are better at cleanign tasks than putting shoes in cupboard, etc as they come in from school and drop all their crap in the hall!!

[JustDanceAddict]

Oh and sometimes DD will cook as well.

[riodances27]

The only thing that worked for my 14/10/9 year old is no computer TV unless room is clean. If there are more than two things on the floor in their room or shoes/coats not put away, I pull the plug out of the tv and take away devices until its done. If they moan about it they get a warning to stop or all devices until the rest of the day.

I had to learn how to spend my time enforcing consistency rather than picking it up after them.

I still have a long way to go with other issues, like the bathroom, but I'll spare mumsnet the sordid details.

[BertrandRussell]

My children are members of a community. If you live in a community you contribute to it to the limits of your capability.

In my opinion, a NT 12 year old should be able to do practically anything round the house that an adult can- I suppose with the exception of very complicated cooking.

It's not a matter of being a servant- it's a matter of living together and sharing the work, the fun and everything else that goes with being part of a family.

[BellaVida]

My lot are all under 12 and know they have to pitch in, as we are a large family and there is always loads to do. They:-

• vacuum
  
• tidy rooms
  
• change sheets, duvet etc
  
• load & unload dishwasher
  
• take washing to laundry room
  
• sort & fold laundry
  
• lay & clear table
  
• help with cooking & make own snacks
  

-get own breakfast

• feed & help clean out pets
  

I think that's enough as they have schoolwork, clubs, sports, music.