Mom and Pop Motel

I messed up as a parent.

When my eldest was about 2 he loved his toy broom, and he used to enjoy doing “dishes”. That was my chance. I should have drawn up a 16-page colour-coded schedule of chores right there and then – and signed it with his tiny little handprint.

Instead the conversation too often goes like this:
“Please put away the dishes.”
“Aw, Mom, I don’t feel like it.”
“Do you think your dad and I feel like it?” And so forth...

If I had that schedule I could just point to page 14, rule 45a and say, “Please comply. This is a legally binding document.”

Mom-of-four blogger DT Sticks recently made a list of chores for her older kids, which seems to be working. Pocket money inspires Tracey Hawthorne's teens to muck in. Tracy Engelbrecht says sharing chores is one of the benefits of single motherhood.

I’m going to try to fix this mess. I am determined not to send out into the world two men who are useless when it comes to housework. So far they’re good about not leaving dirty dishes around the house, and their washing mostly makes it into the basket. It’s a start.

Wish me luck and let me know what works for you