Moxie Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I want a clean house!! I want time to clean, not just pick-up, and still be able to have free time on the weekend. I want scrubbed windows and floors that aren't sticky!! I want sheets that are cleaned on a regular basis! It seems like a silly issue but YEARS of living below the standards you have can really do a number on a gal. 41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I hear ya! I will wish a weekly maid upon you. :) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 See, now I feel just the opposite. I dread when I don't have homeschooling as my excuse b/c I hate having to clean the house, lol. But, then I will just get a paid job and maybe that will suffice as my new excuse 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Yes, the benefits package leaves something to be desired. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 The way I see it, if I'm going to have kids home all day messing up the house, then they need to be my minions and do lots of cleaning. Maybe it's time up to your minions' cleaning load. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I think I can keep it fairly clean, it's just all their carp that is everywhere all around everyday. If they weren't here all day, they wouldn't make such a mess. I can't wait until all the Kiddie Karp can be thrown out!! It's one reason I'm not so excited about baby #4 coming. The Kiddie Karp of 4 small people. I'm doing major purging now and they are just going to have to suck it up because it's so much easier to clean when there's no carp around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Um...the kids will still make a mess and not be there as much to help clean up. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I understand. I fantasize about having a clean house sometimes. (Though my friends with kids in school say it's still not as clean as you'd think) But I don't want to clean. I want to educate. So I hate to give up something I like doing for something I don't like doing- even though I really, really, really want a clean house. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 My number one reason would be brain pain. My brain hurts. I'm constantly thinking about stuff that no adult I encounter gives two craps about. LOL 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 My number one reason would be brain pain. My brain hurts. I'm constantly thinking about stuff that no adult I encounter gives two craps about. LOL I was going to say afternoon headaches that don't respond to caffeine, but I like brain pain better. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 My number one reason that I don't want to be done - I'd have to get a job. Oh, how silly that sounds. But, we have agreed that once our kids have graduated & are headed off to college, I will get a job outside the house. I don't wanna...... I want to have fun in the kitchen, try out new recipes, maybe learn to make soap or knit, just reward myself a bit after my job of homeschooling is over. Or, maybe I'll do that for a year & be completely bored. :lol: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Yep... I'm with you. I hate cleaning but a 3 hour session once a week kid free would keep things so much better than they are right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 It is why Fridays at our house were Official Cleaning Days. :-) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 You mean, the reason you will stop HSing and adopt out your under-fives and get a maid? Because last I checked, us WOH moms with kids in PS didn't have any more luck with the stickiness. Though, I sure feel for your need for a clean house. :P 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyS Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I think I can keep it fairly clean, it's just all their carp that is everywhere all around everyday. If they weren't here all day, they wouldn't make such a mess. I can't wait until all the Kiddie Karp can be thrown out!! It's one reason I'm not so excited about baby #4 coming. The Kiddie Karp of 4 small people. I'm doing major purging now and they are just going to have to suck it up because it's so much easier to clean when there's no carp around. I've used hula hoops to define areas of stuff for kids. "You may have your play things that you are using out, but inside of this hula hoop. You can have alllll 1 billion legos dumped out, if you want, but it must stay inside the hula hoop (other than what's actually in your hands, of course). Everything else needs to be picked up." It helps IMMENSELY. The kids have a visual cue of where "too far" is in spreading out and I can walk without my feet getting bloodied. 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 My number one reason - I'd have to get a job. Oh, how silly that sounds. But, we have agreed that once our kids have graduated & are headed off to college, I will get a job outside the house. I don't wanna...... I want to have fun in the kitchen, try out new recipes, maybe learn to make soap or knit, just reward myself a bit after my job of homeschooling is over. Or, maybe I'll do that for a year & be completely bored. :lol: Well I would not mind a job, but I don't want a dumb boring job. At least I'm not bored. Maybe you can become a personal chef. Find someone who would like the idea of you experimenting in their kitchen. LOL 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I've used hula hoops to define areas of stuff for kids. "You may have your play things that you are using out, but inside of this hula hoop. You can have alllll 1 billion legos dumped out, if you want, but it must stay inside the hula hoop (other than what's actually in your hands, of course). Everything else needs to be picked up." It helps IMMENSELY. The kids have a visual cue of where "too far" is in spreading out and I can walk without my feet getting bloodied. This is brilliant! Wish I had known this trick when I had littles. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyS Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 This is brilliant! Wish I had known this trick when I had littles. Believe me, it was pure self defense. I have literally bled on legos. I think they sharpen them to razor polish at the factory. Tim Hawkins agrees with me: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I've used hula hoops to define areas of stuff for kids. "You may have your play things that you are using out, but inside of this hula hoop. You can have alllll 1 billion legos dumped out, if you want, but it must stay inside the hula hoop (other than what's actually in your hands, of course). Everything else needs to be picked up." It helps IMMENSELY. The kids have a visual cue of where "too far" is in spreading out and I can walk without my feet getting bloodied. That's similar to the Montessori idea of keeping your work on a towel / mat. One advantage over using a hula hoop is that at the end, the kid can gather up the corners of the towel and just dump the Legos back into their bin. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I have been known to cancel school and have a house cleaning day. Mandatory attendance. I would throw in a special treat, but the house had to be clean. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I've used hula hoops to define areas of stuff for kids. "You may have your play things that you are using out, but inside of this hula hoop. You can have alllll 1 billion legos dumped out, if you want, but it must stay inside the hula hoop (other than what's actually in your hands, of course). Everything else needs to be picked up." It helps IMMENSELY. The kids have a visual cue of where "too far" is in spreading out and I can walk without my feet getting bloodied. What a great idea! Wish I'd heard it 10 years ago. I'm going to pass it along to my sister who still has under 10's. Mine are now 13 and 11. No more toys, no more sticky, lots more laundry but they help do it, another big plus is I no longer have to unload the dishwasher, clean the main bathroom/hallway/stairs, that's the kids weekly jobs. They are also required when asked to wipe off counters and sweep floors (about once a week). The couple times DD has tried out PS she made just as much mess (probably more) and helped clean up a whole lot less (too much homework/fatigue). So be careful what you wish for, I spent valuable cleaning time helping her do homework. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I dunno, my friends who have kids who are in school all day have very clean houses. Both adults and all kids are out of the house every day for hours and hours. It does seem to limit the amount of mess that gets made. I had a couple friends who were SAHMs with littles and went back to paid work when the youngest went away to full time school, their houses took a noticeable and drastic turn for the better. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I dunno, my friends who have kids who are in school all day have very clean houses. Both adults and all kids are out of the house every day for hours and hours. It does seem to limit the amount of mess that gets made. I had a couple friends who were SAHMs with littles and went back to paid work when the youngest went away to full time school, their houses took a noticeable and drastic turn for the better. Yes, but surely some other aspect of their life is completely messed up right? LOL... kidding.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I want a clean house!! I want time to clean, not just pick-up, and still be able to have free time on the weekend. I want scrubbed windows and floors that aren't sticky!! I want sheets that are cleaned on a regular basis! It seems like a silly issue but YEARS of living below the standards you have can really do a number on a gal. Look at your youngest two children. In 10 years, those little ones won't be so little any more. The sticky floors will be gone. The dirty fingers touching everything in their wake will be gone. The toys will no longer be thrown about the house. The oldest 2 and maybe 3 will also be gone. Those little kids will never remember the time where the house was a "mess". They will never remember the time that mom felt like pulling out the matches and burning down the house to start over with a clean one (oh, is that just me?). They will remember that Mom used to let them help cook in the kitchen. They will remember the art projects and the time at the table with their mom teaching them. Take a step back and lower the standard. In 10 years the house will be cleaner and the only kids left will be old enough to help. In 15 years you will be looking forward to when those sticky floors come back into your life as your grandkids will love you just as your kids do now. How's that saying go, you're never going to see "I wish I'd cleaned my house better" written on a grave stone. Enjoy them now, clean in 10 years. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Time to get a chore chart going for your older ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I know what you mean. Yes, the tops of the kitchen cabinet were covered with dust stuck on with kitchen stickiness, but who has time to get up there and clean it when we're a week behind on history. Yes, the kids' bathroom really needs the mom touch, but I can't do it today; we need to go to piano lesson and dance class. Etc, etc, etc. . . (forever) The last time I let this happen, I ended up having a major burn-out meltdown, and I had to stop homeschooling, and we put our ds in private school. It occurred to me a couple months ago that it would cost much less than private school to just get someone to help with my house. So, I hired someone to deep clean for me. She's come three times so far, and each time, she tackles one or two of my projects that I have just put off for so long. She also does a once-over on the rest of the main living areas. It's been such a blessing! I've only spent a fraction of what we would spend on school, and I've been able to just keep on homeschooling, and my house is getting clean/organized/sanitized all around me! She's almost finished with the deep cleaning, and we'll probably keep her on in a maintenance capacity, twice a month. If there's any way you can swing getting help, I would highly recommend it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I want a clean house!! I want time to clean, not just pick-up, and still be able to have free time on the weekend. I want scrubbed windows and floors that aren't sticky!! I want sheets that are cleaned on a regular basis! It seems like a silly issue but YEARS of living below the standards you have can really do a number on a gal. When my thoughts head that direction, I think back 10-15 years and realize how unimportant the cleanliness of my home back then is to me now while knowing how very glad I am that I used those years to spend with my children. In 20 years, I won't give a rip what my house looked like from day to day but I'll be so thankful I gave up my time knowing my children and educating them. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 When my thoughts head that direction, I think back 10-15 years and realize how unimportant the cleanliness of my home back then is to me now while knowing how very glad I am that I used those years to spend with my children. In 20 years, I won't give a rip what my house looked like from day to day but I'll be so thankful I gave up my time knowing my children and educating them. I want a clean house and it is important to me, here, today. There has to be a way to meet my needs as well as the needs of the children. I'm not into martyrdom. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'm a stay home mom with two teenagers in public school and our home is a mess. It was actually cleaner when I was homeschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 8, 11 and 13 are great ages for some serious chores. It shouldn't all be on you. How much time do they spend cleaning in a day? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I want a clean house and it is important to me, here, today. There has to be a way to meet my needs as well as the needs of the children. I'm not into martyrdom. Ok. I'm not into martyrdom either, and would be really bummed if that is what I considered homeschooling to be. I guess do what you think is right. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 If you want to homeschool, I agree with those who suggested chore charts, etc. We have found that little changes and each person being responsible for areas/chores has made it all doable. None of us has to kill ourselves, we are all serving one another, and we all have freedom at the end of the day. There are some great books and websites that are helpful for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I want a clean house and it is important to me, here, today. There has to be a way to meet my needs as well as the needs of the children. I'm not into martyrdom. 1) hire a cleaning service once a week 2) get your oldest two to help clean up 3) do most or all of the school work outside the house like at the park and/or library My house was clean until we did school at home. Once we went back to school at library, house was lots cleaner and tidier, and the utilities bill was lower. Hubby drop us at library before work and pick us up after. When kids were much younger, hubby drop us with the double jogger at the library with the lunch bag and diaper bag :lol: Besides the library has the dictionaries, encyclopedias and textbooks in the reference section so I don't need to buy those that library has. Which help keeps the book volume at home at a manageable level. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Ok. I'm not into martyrdom either, and would be really bummed if that is what I considered homeschooling to be. I guess do what you think is right. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Moxie was probably at least somewhat intending this post/thread as tongue in cheek humor. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Moxie was probably at least somewhat intending this post/thread as tongue in cheek humor. That is what I originally thought. Her response didn't seem so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 See, now I feel just the opposite. I dread when I don't have homeschooling as my excuse b/c I hate having to clean the house, lol. But, then I will just get a paid job and maybe that will suffice as my new excuse I got the paid job, and when I was offered extra hours I put all of that extra money into getting a cleaner.... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Um...the kids will still make a mess and not be there as much to help clean up. Yes and no - I do find that the house stays much more picked up now that everyone is at school. Cleaning still needs to happen though.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I have teens now. They're just not messy like little kids. They wash their hands. Their toys are tiny, electronic, and attached to them. Except for shoes, and some cup hoarding in their rooms, they're just not that messy. I think their bathroom sink got dirtier but everything else got cleaner and neater. Also, the able-bodied one does her own laundry. With a three hour chunk once a month, and a daily quick clean in the morning (or it won't happen) I can spend the bulk of my day on school and afternoon/evening activities without sinking into a mess. If I get a jump on dinner during our lunch break, I can mostly stay on top of things. I think it's because I can finish what I start. Teens don't interrupt you like little kids. In fact, I find myself seeking THEM out for attention. It's bizarro world. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: You have a lot of littles. Even if the older kids were in school your house is going to be messy. Even when my kids were in school ( and I only have two), the house was messy and needed a lot of cleaning. They were little. They made messes just by looking at a room. :) Only now that we homeschool, there are a LOT more dishes since all meals are at home. Thankfully, they are old enough to rinse their own dishes, put them in the dishwasher and run the thing. They can also sort and do laundry, sweep and mop, etc. Do they do those things voluntarily? Not often. They don't think to. It isn't a priority. But if I remind them, they do it, and usually without argument. You might read books like ADD Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life (even if you and the kids aren't ADD) to get a handle on some things you can help the kids learn to do around the house, even the little ones. Have training seminars. Literally. Life skills training seminars. They can even earn certificates or get rewards for participating. We did apprenticeships here. Each child worked with me daily on a specific task. They got to pick from a list of life skills they were told we would work on. I tried to make it as upbeat and pleasant as possible, not a punishment or something to dread. We don't even call the chores chores. It is called house maintenance. For the apprenticeships we played music, sang songs, swapped stories, etc. while they "trained". I did not assume that anything was intuitive. I walked them through everything as I did it then supported them while they did it. I made it clear which things were done because it was my personal preference and which things needed to be done a certain way for specific reasons related to the task. The training lasted as long as it took for the skill sets to be internalized then the chore went on a rotation chart so they would do that chore often but would share the task with others (don't want to forget how but don't want to feel they never get a break). We had a celebration after they moved on to Journeyman status (able to do the chore independently but I'm still in charge). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 If Texasmama is handing out wishes, can I put one in for a gardener? Last year the ragweed was up to the roof in one place. The bees sure were happy about that but Greater Ragweed wasn't quite what I had in mind for a bedding plant... (Greater as opposed to Lesser--that was in the vegetable garden, and also a big hit with the bees so I did get some good out of my messy gardens.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Well I would not mind a job, but I don't want a dumb boring job. At least I'm not bored. Maybe you can become a personal chef. Find someone who would like the idea of you experimenting in their kitchen. LOL LOL, DH thinks this is an attractive job too. That confuddles me beyond all belief? I would cook, for other people, then come home and cook more? I've never understood food preparation as an enjoyable pasttime. I hear you on the cleaning. The idea behind them being in school isn't that it would STAY clean... It's the idea that I could wander about my house for eight hours basking in the cleanliness after the first initial hour of cleaning up. I get that. ;) I notice the OP was a mama of many. What many who only go through The Sticky Season for a few years don't realize is that we have dealt with little kid dirt, as opposed to middle kid messiness, and teenage disregard, for years upon years upon years. It is a little disconcerting. For example: There are always smudges on the bathroom walls. It's concerning. Clean it then it's there again. Shudder. Light switches. Never clean. Chair backs in the dining room. Never clean. Walls, approximately 30" off the floor. Never clean. Mouth prints on windows and glass doors. Why?!?! There is a different level of cleanliness with that 3-7yo age IMO. And as you also have the intense "stop and hold the baby, coddle the toddler" time it really just magnifies the lack of true cleanliness. And if you're one of those folks that managed to vacuum perfect lines in your carpet when you had two nicely spaced children, truly you feel like you dropped like 120 levels of cleanliness... In some ways you're proud for letting go and still feeling (mostly) sane, but some days you really wish for shiny floors, vacuum lines, and a day when the laundry is COMPLETELY done for four solid hours. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 That is what I originally thought. Her response didn't seem so. Yes, my post was slightly tongue-in-cheek. I mean, I'm not going to quit homeschooling to clean. It is s nice fantasy (full disclosure, I don't love homeschooling)!! And, I'm sorry if my response sounded snappy but your post hit a nerve. It is like when you are in the grocery store with a tantruming toddler and the sweet, well-meaning little old lady comes up to you and tells you to treasure these moments because they grow up fast. It is so not helpful in the moment, kwim? I do see a lot of martyr mentality in homeschooling moms and I don't think it is a good thing. Homeschooling doesn't mean that I set all my needs aside for 15 years! And, yes, I still have little kids. But, at one point, I only had a house full of littles and my house was very clean. It made me so happy to see that our socks were still white at the end of the day! Homeschooling just takes a lot of time. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Yes, my post was slightly tongue-in-cheek. I mean, I'm not going to quit homeschooling to clean. It is s nice fantasy (full disclosure, I don't love homeschooling)!! And, I'm sorry if my response sounded snappy but your post hit a nerve. It is like when you are in the grocery store with a tantruming toddler and the sweet, well-meaning little old lady comes up to you and tells you to treasure these moments because they grow up fast. It is so not helpful in the moment, kwim? I do see a lot of martyr mentality in homeschooling moms and I don't think it is a good thing. Homeschooling doesn't mean that I set all my needs aside for 15 years! And, yes, I still have little kids. But, at one point, I only had a house full of littles and my house was very clean. It made me so happy to see that our socks were still white at the end of the day! Homeschooling just takes a lot of time. It does. It does take a lot of time. And while it's lovely to enlist the big kids to help with the workload because you're juggling teaching, training, and toddling, at the same time, you are very much reminded they need to stay on task. It is very easy when you have nothing but littles. Likewise it's lovely when you have nothing but school-agers. It is an entirely different world when you juggle littles, middles, and olders. We joke here that I tell DH, "It was a great school day," on the way home which is actually code for: The house is insane. Mentally prepare yourself. It isn't that my bigs and middles don't help. They do. But, to be frank, I can actually spend (and have) 3-4 hours JUST teaching Barton in my house. The big kids are pitching in but at some point their schoolwork MUST stay on task and it saddens me that I cannot do all things. Such is life and I'm dealing with it as it seems you are as well, but for folks who REALLY ENJOY a clean house, it is truly emotionally hard to never have that happy, shiny, spotless euphoria. :D 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 It does. It does take a lot of time. And while it's lovely to enlist the big kids to help with the workload because you're juggling teaching, training, and toddling, at the same time, you are very much reminded they need to stay on task. It is very easy when you have nothing but littles. Likewise it's lovely when you have nothing but school-agers. It is an entirely different world when you juggle littles, middles, and olders. We joke here that I tell DH, "It was a great school day," on the way home which is actually code for: The house is insane. Mentally prepare yourself. It isn't that my bigs and middles don't help. They do. But, to be frank, I can actually spend (and have) 3-4 hours JUST teaching Barton in my house. The big kids are pitching in but at some point their schoolwork MUST stay on task and it saddens me that I cannot do all things. Such is life and I'm dealing with it as it seems you are as well, but for folks who REALLY ENJOY a clean house, it is truly emotionally hard to never have that happy, shiny, spotless euphoria. :D Yes! My big kids have chores but 'homemaking' isn't their job, it is mine. My big kids have friends and activities and school and chores, as it should be, but the house is my job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Most of my memories of childhood involve a parent that didn't clean, and who was confused and not really appreciative when I did the cleaning, because it didn't matter to her. I threw out every photograph from childhood where you could see the dirty floors and the piles of junk. So much for the memories. You'd think I lived outside or at other people's houses, and at some point I did. That same parent lives with me now and looks at me strange when I give up a bit of fun to clean something other than dishes. I'm still resentful. So yes, the effort or at least caring a bit about sticky floors matters, even if it doesn't keep up to a standard most of the time. Mine doesn't, but I hope my kids will remember that I tried, even if it was futile. OP, I get you. Although if I ever stop homeschooling it will be so they'll poop on someone else's time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 If Texasmama is handing out wishes, can I put one in for a gardener? Last year the ragweed was up to the roof in one place. The bees sure were happy about that but Greater Ragweed wasn't quite what I had in mind for a bedding plant... (Greater as opposed to Lesser--that was in the vegetable garden, and also a big hit with the bees so I did get some good out of my messy gardens.) Granted! Your gardener is on the way. Ragweed is terrible here in these parts. It is a horrible allergen for many. But I have to think that your Ragweed honey could be a niche market for allergy sufferers. "Ragweed Local Honey" - it would fly off the shelves. Are you near me at all? My older son needs some Ragweed honey! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Yes! My big kids have chores but 'homemaking' isn't their job, it is mine. My big kids have friends and activities and school and chores, as it should be, but the house is my job. Is it? Gently, this attitude kind of sums up what you were talking about homeschooling moms being martyrs. The house is the responsibility of everyone who lives there. You have a fulltime job that has little to do with wall spots and laundry. I would really encourage you to consider outsourcing some of the cleaning if it is at all financially feasible. Even just a once a month deep clean is a huge sanity saver. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Yes! My big kids have chores but 'homemaking' isn't their job, it is mine. My big kids have friends and activities and school and chores, as it should be, but the house is my job. Yes, it's a weird distinction. I very firmly believe in family taking care of one another and a home. Absolutely. They do dishes, laundry, cleaning up, and bathrooms. However, I don't want them puttering around all day cleaning. I think kids are best served by serving one another and the family as a whole. However it is oversimplified to just say if everyone pitches in the house would be done. I appreciated the tongue in cheek humor. ;). The truth is that I wake up every morning and clean. Then little people play around me while I school. Then it must be cleaned again. And thus goes round the merry circle of life of littles. ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Yes! My big kids have chores but 'homemaking' isn't their job, it is mine. My big kids have friends and activities and school and chores, as it should be, but the house is my job. I'm of the mindset of "you helped make this mess, you can help clean it." Are the oldest 3 doing their own laundry? Yes, even the 8yo can do their own. Can you assign one of the oldest to striping the sheets from everyone's bed once a week (or as often as you want) and have the other handle the towels? Is there more than one bathroom? Do they clean the one they primarily use? All 3 are old enough to use a wet swiffer once a day on the floor (heck my kids fight over this one). Leave yourself the areas that you are responsible for making most of the "mess" aka the kitchen and your own bathroom/bedroom and helping the littles with their room and laundry. Even as kids that went to school all day, we were expected to help do most of the housework in the areas we made the messes and a lot of the yard work from shoveling snow to mowing yards from about 8 yr old on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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