LilZ’s Dad gave him $100 to buy an iPod with last week. LilZ saw the iPod he wants (the nano) actually costs $150. He counted out that he has almost $50 in change, so all he really needs is about $15 to be able to buy it before this weekend. How does an 11-year old kid earn $15 in just a few days? Offers his services to his mother, that’s how. I told him that if he worked for me every night this week, doing whatever I asked, I’d cover the extra when we go buy it on Thursday.
At first I was very excited at the potential of having someone else do my chores for me. Of course, then I remembered that I’m an anal-retentive control freak and won’t let people do housework for me because they won’t do it the right way. Let’s see. He’s brought dishes into the kitchen from other parts of the house and he put clothes in the washing machine. That’s about it. I, on the other hand, have folded clothes, washed dishes, cooked dinner, taken the garbage out, and made beds. All things I could have demanded LilZ do to earn money, but didn’t because either he’s too slow (I like things done NOW!) or he doesn’t do them “right.”
He’s learning what it’s like to be married to me. I’ll complain I don’t get any help, but when it’s there to use, I won’t use it.
I’m the same way. I never, ever ask for help. I cringe when my DH does laundry, etc. I’m so used to doing it for myself that I’m not very comfortable with having someone else do it.
Is there yard work you can ask LilZ to do?
It’s good training for the lad. He’ll be well prepared for women when he gets older.
I wish someone would tell my husband that its not just me that is like this! He gets mad when he “helps” and I correct him…but he’s not doing it right!!!!
I am sometimes the same way, but what I figured out is if you start the job and show them how, they can usually finish it up the way you want them to. The little guy can now make beds like almost better than me, seriously, and Aidan is an expert bathroom cleaner.
I am so the same way! I want things done NOW(!) and the right way- which does not work so well when you are in the midst of potty training. The little one will say, “I need pee” and I say (something along the lines of, “ohmygod go now run RUN to the bathroom and lets go pee” which freaks the kid out because I want to hurry hurry HURRY to not miss the potty, but then, we miss anyway because of the big freak out. Gah! I need to relax already. How about a margarita?
What about washing/cleaning out your cars? I was always more than willing to pay my younger brother $10 to do that for me.
I’m a bit (snort) on the anal retentive side when it comes to the chores at home too - particularly the dusting & the bathroom cleaning (and the laundry & the kitchen cleaning). To compensate for my desperate need for help, my need to have all things done my way, AND my love of fancy computer generated forms I made up little “How To’s” for the kiddo’s. My favorite is called “How To Clean A Bathroom” By Mom - and features detailed step-by-step instructions on how I expect a bathroom to be cleaned in order to collect ones pay. They’re all in sheet protectors and I’m investigating the possibility of getting each kid their own 3-ring binder of directions.
I wonder if I drive the crazy?
I was like that until my mother gave me a STERN warning…. if you keep criticizing, they just won’t try, or they’ll do it sloppy on purpose so that you’ll stop asking. That was 1 warning from my mother I listened to, well that and having on clean underwear in case I was in a car accident.
I’m OLD….I now have an empyt nest… and I’ve learned, that if the house needs dusting, and you’re not going to have time to do it yourself the “right way”… isn’t it better to be done…. “pretty well”? Besides, it’s just as important a part of being a parent, teaching kids how to run a house, do cleaning, cooking, etc, as it is to teach them good manners, etc! My 2 moved out together in January, and fortunately, they are both perfectly able to cook, and clean and not be useless out on their own.
AND how can LilZ possibly not empty the garbage properly???
I’m not married, nor do I have kids yet but I do have parents and siblings and I swear if one of them ever learns how to load the dishwasher correctly, I will shout a hallelujah so loud that you’ll hear it in Alabama.
But apparently the experts say we shouldn’t sweat these small things!
that will most definitely be a problem for me when i’m a parent. i’m all about the idea of kids doing their part. but i’m going to have remember to try to let them DO it without grabbing what they’re working on out of their hands in frustration.
I don’t have kids, so feel free to ignore me, but it IS important that you let your kids learn how to clean. It’s a skill, just like reading or riding a bike. I’m sure it’s annoying to have it not done right or right now (I’m totally that way, too!) but how will someone ever KNOW how to do it right if they don’t practice? The dirtiest roommates I’ve had are the ones whose mothers did all the cleaning. Their idea of “cleaning the kitchen” was to make sure the dishes were in the dishwasher. Ummm, no. If there’s food dried on the stove and crap all over the floor, the kitchen isn’t clean.
Anyway, who am I to cast stones? I know HOW to clean, I just don’t do it very often!
Oh I do this too. There are certain things that have to be done the right way (MY way) or else I will have to do them over. And then I will be even more aggravated.
Want to come to Houston and clean my house?
No, I understand what you’re saying. I love that I have a husband who does more housework than most. And I’m really not that anal about how it gets done until company is coming over. Then I shove him aside and he wonders what happened to his wife. Because those times? He doesn’t do things the “right” way.