Night Elf Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I'm sitting here, reading the board, and thinking of all the housework and shopping I have to do today. The kids' vacations start after school on Friday. I want a vacation from household responsibilities. Well, everyone here does help out but there are some things only I do, such as bathrooms and some kitchen work. Can I go 2 weeks without cleaning the bathrooms? How bad can they really get? *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I wonder the same thing. My husband is on vacation next week. I'm not though. Never am really. Although my husband cleaned one of the bathrooms yesterday. It was looking disgusting. I don't use that bathroom though. Pretty much only he does . I didn't neglect to clean it on purpose, I've just been rather busy and didn't get to it. That's the first time he has cleaned a bathroom since we've been married. So sure stop cleaning for a couple of weeks. If anyone doesn't like it, well they can clean it right? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Let the kids know you are gifting them the lessons on how to clean and do laundry. Prepare them for the real world. If they complain that they are on vacation - hey, it is not like they do these chores all the time, right? They are on vacation from SCHOOL. They need, with Dad, to make sure YOU are on vacation from CLEANING. And everyone can take turns in the kitchen, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I don't take vacations for that long, but I do take time off. Like a three day weekend or something. I do no cleaning, and rarely cook during that time. Dh and ds know how to fend for themselves and they've come to realize when I need a break, it means I NEED a break. I usually spend a few days quilting, reading, whatever...and it feels so good. But our kids are grown so it's super easy. When the kids were young I was lucky to get one day off. JFS is right- you need a break and the kids need to learn this stuff. My kids have been shocked that so many of their college housemates don't know how to do things like cook, clean a bathroom, and do laundry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 sigh, no If I don't do it, it doesn't get done for the most part. If I ask, the kids will do things. Anf they do their own laundry. I hate to ask dh, he works so hard, he shouldn't have to do anything else. Things used to be more equitable around here, but the chore charts that had been up and done since the girls were small went out the window as Ro got more ill. I didn't think it was fair to ask her sister to take up her slack and somehow, I just ended up doing most of everything. I guess it's just a season, and mostly I don't mind, except when I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I'm only on vacation the first couple days after giving birth. That's why I have 10 kids! Lol jk. My husband does help out more when he's off though. Kind of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 When dh is on vacation so am I! That means we split the household responsibilities that are usually solely on my plate because of how much he works. He gladly helps out if it means I get to spend more time with him while he's on that vacation. If it were any other way then I'd simply put my foot down and do nothing until he respected the fact that everyone needs a break sometimes. If he never respected that then our house would never be in order again because I'm a stubborn woman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 When dh is on vacation so am I! That means we split the household responsibilities that are usually solely on my plate because of how much he works. He gladly helps out if it means I get to spend more time with him while he's on that vacation. If it were any other way then I'd simply put my foot down and do nothing until he respected the fact that everyone needs a break sometimes. If he never respected that then our house would never be in order again because I'm a stubborn woman. Same here. I could have written this word for word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Although honestly, I don't really mind it so much. I think I'd be bored. And I do get plenty of down time. Like right now. I cooked a bunch of things, but otherwise I've been mostly goofing off on-line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 My dh and were just (kind of) joking about this yesterday. He is on vacation until January. I told him he could iron his own church clothes, since he was on vacation. He said, "I'll remember that when you are on vacation." I just gave him the look. He then said "Oh. Yeah, I guess you don't really get one do you?" Nope. Not in 18 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I am taking a vacation! Just one dd and myself. It is going to be lovely. One dd will be studying abroad. Ds starts back at the tech school immediately after the new year. Dd20b has college winter training trip. She cannot ride in the bus, so I have to drive her to Florida. Drats. So, dd20a and I will have a lovely week at the beach. Dh has to work, and doesn't actually enjoy the beach anyway. No laundry. Cooking when and what I want. (Though I will make sure I keep my kitchen stocked for dd20b and her teammates. They like to come snack at my place.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I wanted to add....I'm ok with the status quo. I am an admitted control freak and I don't like him messing around with my routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 My kids attend Christian School and my dh works out of town, while I have a work-at-home job (part-time...school hours). My kids and dh will be home, on vacation, from December 23 - January 5. I still have to work though (at my money-earning job and as a mom, of course). I get half of Christmas Eve, all of Christmas Day (and the day after this year!), and New Years Day off. I'm bummed. I would like a vacation too. And of course, I will be taking care of food for everyone and keeping the house going. Actually, I think I will put my dh in charge of that this time. Hmmm....that is a real thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I suppose I'll admit to going two weeks between cleaning bathrooms. We didn't die when it happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 And, having dd21 home is like having a vacation. The girl cleans and cooks. The only downside is she makes me feel kind of lazy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Well, it sounds like a good idea to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 This thread reminds me of the time I got fed up with our family vacations ALWAYS including cheap motels with kitchettes and hubby being happy we could save money by cooking our own meals. No. No no no no not any more. Trying to make dinner in a strange kitchen , after having to pack and bring our own skillets and ingredients etc and finding time to shop for more food to bring to the motel and try and cook and clean up (and these places never had dishwashers) - just MORE WORK for me! I grew to dread all the extra work. Bad enough I was always the one stuck at a laundromat or doing hand washing in a motel sink each night so we'd have clean clothes the next day. Sometimes Mom (or Dad if he is the one at home) has to speak up, as the rest of the family doesn't realize housework is still houseWORK, and pixies and elves don't magically do it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 Well, I'm not looking for sympathy. I'll admit I'm a lazy person by nature. And now that my kids are mostly grown up, I'm just not as busy a mom as when they were younger, if that makes any sense. I do try to keep the house clean but I've been sorely lacking. My dd16 and I did a crisis cleaning the day before Thanksgiving since my family was coming here to eat on Thanksgiving Day. But I've done nothing since then, except a light tidy of the bathrooms. So today, I'm getting off my bum and doing all the things that have been piling up. I even had to go weekly grocery shopping by myself this morning. Usually, DH and I go together on Sunday mornings. But I survived the trip. I'm thinking of putting together my old Flylady plan. When I was following my lists faithfully, my house rocked! The worst responsibility I have is cooking. I hate cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I hate cooking too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 2 weeks on bathrooms? Totally normal here! I put those "puck" type cleansers in all the toilets, wipe any visible sink yuck with a face cloth whenever I notice it, and worry about the rest of the surfaces about every 2-3 weeks. Sometimes a windex wipe comes out in the meantime, I guess. It's a room you get clean in, full of water and soap. How bad can it really be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 My mom would have used the kids' vacation time to make us all help clean the house. "Santa won't come to a dirty house." :P But no, nobody is going to care if you don't deep clean the bathroom during break. I'd give it a good cleaning this week, a quick wipe with a used washrag now and then, maybe a quick swish with the toilet brush on New Year's Eve and call it good. :) Me, I am more busy than ever during winter "vacation." I still work full-time, have a ton of extra year-end work and personal business, various Christmas stuff for the kids / community / extended family, getting the kids' extracurriculars organized for the spring semester, daily academic practice and reading, preparing for and going on an international 2-week travel trip (a working "vacation" - computer in tow), scout badge work, my kid's birthday when we get back, .... AND I have some cleaning / organizing goals. We'll see what comes of them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 The worst responsibility I have is cooking. I hate cooking. Can you skip most of the cooking? Restaurant, leftovers, Chipotle, sandwiches for dinner, pizza, mac n cheese, restaurant, leftovers, Panera, breakfast for dinner, pizza, spaghetti .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspasia Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Not proud of this, but I've gone two weeks without cleaning bathrooms before. Not because I was taking a vacation, but because heck, my husband is almost never home, I have a bunch of tiny kids and no help. Sometimes something's gotta give, you know? And that something has been the bathrooms before. Then I did clean them and everything was just fine. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I remember so clearly the time I realized that I will never get a vacation again. It was Labor Day. We had just gotten our boys that summer. They were infant and toddler. My whole life previous I enjoyed vacations and holidays. I'd sleep in, relaxing in bed half the morning, spend the day hiking with dh or doing projects, etc. you know, vacation. But I still so distinctly remember that Labor Day, waking up early and the boys were clamoring for breakfast and the house was a mess and I realized right then and there that i don't get a vacation. Ever. It was shocking. I have adjusted. And it's ok, although I still look back fondly and wistfully on those lazy days, with coffee and newspaper in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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