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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

what do your 18 year olds do around the house

31 replies

summerdays71 · 01/07/2014 22:07

according to dd no one else has to help around the house apart from her

OP posts:
NickNacks · 01/07/2014 22:11

I don't have an 18 yr old but I do have 10 and 7 yr olds.

They empty the dw every morning
Lay the table every evening
Strip and remake beds on a Saturday
Dustbins out to road on a Wednesday
Bring back in on a Thursday
Tidy their rooms on a Tuesday
Help tidy the downstairs every evening (whole family does)
Put own laundry away each Sunday
Make packed lunches each night

So your dd who is twice their age could do twice the chores perhaps! ;)

BackforGood · 01/07/2014 22:25

ds has been excused a lot in the run up to his A-levels, but, to be fair to him, I came home from work today to find he'd done a pile of washing up, dried it and put it away, then cleaned and tidied the whole of the rest of the kitchen (quite a big job when I went to work this morning Blush). He was then working on tidying his room when I got in.
I have to say - this is unusual Grin

Normally though (say, before Easter) he, and his sisters (15, and 12 - but have been the same jobs for about 3 yrs now)

  • Each take a turn to cook the evening meal each week
  • Whoever isn't cooking either lays table / gets drinks for everyone or unloads the dishwasher
  • If they want anything ironed they do it themselves
  • Obviously put own clean laundry away
Obviously clear up their stuff / put in the dishwasher after a meal
  • Do 'ad hoc' jobs as asked, depending on who is around when they need doing - this might be put the shopping away or load the dishwasher or empty the washing machine or tumble drier or get stuff off the line or put the recycling out, etc.
Lozislovely · 01/07/2014 22:30

Bugger all Wink I have 2 DS 17 and 15 and I'm lucky if they manage to put their dirty clothes in the wash basket!

I do blow up now and again and get the usual 'all teenagers are the same' response.

They do however sort their own breakfast and (sometimes) dinner, but on the housework side they would definitely not think to empty the bin or bring the washing in if it rains.

marriednotdead · 01/07/2014 22:35

Have 2 x 17yo (males).

They are required to set/clear the table, while the other washes up. Bins/recycling, weekly vacuuming, cleaning of bathroom, occasional dusting. The odd trip to the shops, help put away shopping.

This is in addition to changing their own beds, keeping their rooms clean and tidy and doing all their own washing and ironing.

One of them is a trainee chef and often helps to cook dinner, the other can make tuna and pasta level meals.

chocoluvva · 01/07/2014 22:37

My 17YO does hardly anything. I must change this.

OldCatLady · 01/07/2014 22:39

My 18 year old brother doesn't do a lot. He comes and goes as he pleases, though does pay (very minimal) rent and is generally respectful and tidies up after him self and will empty dishwasher if needed but that's about it. No other 'chores' as such....that seems normal amongst his friends, except apparently he's the only one who pays rent.

BastardDog · 01/07/2014 22:43

My 14 yo does his own laundry and ironing. Dusts and hoovers the lounge on a Saturday morning. Takes his turn emptying the dishwasher. Empties all the bins once a week and puts the wheelie bin out. Gets his own breakfast everyday and helps with dinner a couple of times a week. He mows the lawn and exercises the dog if asked.

My 13yo does her own laundry and ironing. Dusts and hoovers her own bedroom. Cleans the bathroom once a week. Takes her turn emptying the diswasher. Gets her own breakfast everyday. Cooks dinner with very little supervision once or twice a week and pops to the supermarket if we run out of anything between the weekly shops.

AnyFucker · 01/07/2014 22:49

I have an 18yo

She cleans her room, cleans the bathrooms, cleans the living areas, empties the dishwasher, sorts laundry and pegs it in/out, empties bins, mops floors, does her own ironing (she only does her work clothes), cooks for herself and her sibling when on shifts, accompanies me shopping and puts it away (don't trust her yet to simply buy the stuff she likes...)

For some reason she has never cleaned the kitchen and I don't let her loose on my bedroom or my ironing Smile

She used to complain a lot when she was 14/15 but has stopped now and doesn't need reminding more than once.

DramaAlpaca · 01/07/2014 22:51

My 20, 19 & 16 year old sons have been trained to do the the following:

Cook dinner for the family once a week each
Cook other meals for themselves when necessary
Empty & refill the dishwasher on a rota
Hang out laundry on the line & bring it in - useless at folding, though
Hoovering
Keeping own rooms tidy (not to my standards but I just shut the door)
Change bed linen regularly
Empty bins
Put away the grocery shopping
Sometimes do their own laundry
Do ad hoc jobs like changing lightbulbs, cleaning the cooker, fixing things, & dealing with things the cat brings in
Eldest son mows the lawn

Sometimes I write a list before I go to work. The boys sign up to the jobs they are going to do when they come down. Last down gets the worst jobs Grin

I still haven't got them cleaning bathrooms, and they aren't very good at ironing, but I'm working on it.

AnyFucker · 01/07/2014 22:53

Mind you, she has no sooner cleaned a bathroom than she has splodged shampoo everywhere, left used razors on the side and discarded wet towels on the floor....

TinklyLittleLaugh · 01/07/2014 22:54

My 18 tear old daughter cleans her room and is responsible for hoovering the house. She empties the dishwasher, tidies the kitchen, lays the table as requested (have three others who also do their share).

DroppingIn · 01/07/2014 23:01

17 and a half year old here (female).

NOTHING regular. She mopped the floors about 3 weeks ago and cleaned the main bathroom about a month ago (they have been done since then of course!)

Mainly because I really can't be arsed with the stress of 'asking' her to do something 20 million times. She can just about make her bed once a week when I strip the sheets off.

It really needs to change. The 12 year olds have followed her example unfortunately.

AnyFucker · 01/07/2014 23:02

You are making a mistake there, DI

AuntySib · 01/07/2014 23:10

Good question!

My 19 year old DS cooks family meal sometimes ( 1 or 2 times pw, more if I am am out), takes out bins, brings them in ( if i remind him) sometimes will mow the lawn on request. Has been known to hoover but again, only on request, and not always then ( so say, once a month. )Sometimes clears up after supper if he hasn't cooked, but will try to get away with not doing it. He does help with weekly shop and meal planning. His room is a pit, and he is responsible for cleaning it, it doesn't often happen!

We argue constantly about what he does ( i feel its not enough bearing in mind he has no income ( off to uni in Sept) and doesn't want to find a job, wants to spend the summer lounging.) I pay for stuff for him but only bare minimum now ( new shoes if old ones have holes in, replacement jeans). I feel he should be making more of a contribution, especially since DH and I both work full time. However he does happily take on responsibility for younger brother (13) whenever I need him to without argument.

This argument has been ongoing for a long time. My latest tactic has been to get him to draw up a list of all the household jobs that need to be done on a daily and weekly basis, so that he can see that I am not being mean when i ask him to have the kitchen clean for when I get home from work. The list filled 2 pages, think he was a bit shocked! He did washing up tonight without making a fuss, will see if this works!

My oldest DS has much improved since living away - now empties dishwasher without being asked, puts on washing ( and not just his own) and hangs it out, clears up kitchen, and much tidier generally - acts on his own initiative ( as indeed a grown man should).

mathanxiety · 02/07/2014 07:01

My 19 yo DD2 is home from university for the summer: makes my shopping list, hoovers when asked, does her own laundry, tidies the kitchen and has a job as a nanny - 6 hours every day. Does the occasional big job like sorting through the Christmas decorations and repacking them in a new box I got, and always brings out the bin when asked.

DS is 21 and also home from university for the summer. He has a job that involves heavy lifting from 8am to about 6pm so all he does is his laundry, and he keeps his own room clean. Plus he cleans out the litter box when asked and also takes the bin out when asked. He also does car related maintenance for me -- refilled the AC and power steering fluid, put in new windshield wipers, took the portable hoover to it. Does me the huge favour of eating all leftovers.
DD3(16) fills and empties the dishwasher and cleans the sink, cleans the bathroom and keeps track of all bathroom supplies. She is in charge of the sitting room and bookcases, and has a babysitting job in the afternoons - 3 hours daily.
DD4(almost 13) alternates with DD3 in doing their combined laundry and keeps the diningroom clean. She also dusts and polishes weekly.

secretsquirrels · 02/07/2014 14:44

NickNacks having a 10 and 7 year old who do jobs is a whole different thing to having teens who do. Mine loved to do everything when they were little.

Mine are trained to do most jobs but in practise do very little. Lots of reasons why I haven't made them.

One is that when I grew up both my parents worked and had full social lives. From age 12 onwards I was a little cinderella doing everything.I have, admittedly, gone the other way with my DC.

DS1,18 has been working 10/12 hours a day revising for the last few months so I have not even asked him to do anything. DS2 had GCSEs although not putting quite the same hours in. Both have part time jobs.
DH is retired and I have recently finished my (very) part time job. So we have plenty of time.

I think it's important that they know how to do everything, but not that they necessarily do their share.

NickNacks · 02/07/2014 15:42

Ok apologies for contributing.

Shodan · 02/07/2014 15:57

DS1 (18) has to do his own laundry, tidy his room and the conservatory (which is his 'den'). He also babysits his brother regularly.

Other adhoc chores are floor-mopping, bin-emptying, bits of shopping etc. He also comes with me to do some chores for my mum and will do whatever tasks I ask of him at home (for instance, most recently, putting a load of stuff up in the loft).

I don't have a set routine for housework so don't have one for him, but he has always been told that as a member of the household, if he wants the 'privileges' (holidays/meals out/allowance etc) he also has to take on his share of the 'grunt work'.

teenagetantrums · 03/07/2014 08:39

I have 17 year old and 20 year old, they do their own washing and rooms, as and when they want, I ignore the mess they live in.

Now college is over and they are at home all day, I leave them a list before I go to work of things that need doing for, yesterday one cleaned kitchen, other hoovered.

Eldest does shopping and cooking if I ask him, youngest does less of that sort of thing but she works evenings so is not really around to cook.

Theas18 · 03/07/2014 08:51

the big kids muck in quite well but seem ( since exams ended and eldest back from uni) to have zero motivation without direction so I leave notes " bathroom cleaned please and lounge hoovered" or " washing on, please hand out AND take in before 6pm! " (or it's still out at 7.30 getting wet again! )

they are very willing when asked so I'm trying to to get irritated that I do have to spell things out!

dementedma · 03/07/2014 21:47

Mine do precious little.
I should have been stricter when they were younger but such is life!

dementedma · 03/07/2014 21:47

Mine do precious little.
I should have been stricter when they were younger but such is life!

chocoluvva · 04/07/2014 00:03

Same dementedma.

I'm going to tell DD that she will have to do her own laundry over the summer. It will be good practice for her before she gets student accommodation in sept.

secretsquirrels · 04/07/2014 10:27

Same here chocoluvva. I have bought him his own laundry basket Grin.

pot39 · 04/07/2014 11:46

2 ds's 18 and 14
Set table
Dishwasher
Bins
Mow lawn
Vacuum stairs and landing (one of them)
Vacuum sitting room (other one)
Help with baking and cooking occasionally.
help put shopping away.
Older change his bed.

Their rooms are pits and I threaten to throw all clothes out of windows -this works-when I can't stand it any longer.
I feel a bit pathetic at how little they do.
I'm going to steal auntysib's idea about the list

Despite endless rants from me.

I love my home to distraction and hate cleaning (And v allergic to house dust). Can no longer afford a cleaner. So boys aren't set a good example-except by their dad. But after nearly 30 yrs living with me he's sinking to my slut levels.

However, love gardening, will always do that in preference to anything in side.

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