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Post by justcindy on Jul 5, 2014 3:10:19 GMT
Well, I had a great system when going, one son had dishes and trash on even days and other son has dishes and trash on odd days....but my older son is moving to his college dorm this weekend to do a mini semester before starting university full time in the fall. (Side note - we just got the call he got accepted into this program on Tuesday of this week, and he moves in Sunday! Not prepared at all, we thought if we hadn't heard by now, the answer was no. So, the past three days have been a whirlwind!)
So anyway, now there's going to be only one kid living at home full time. CRAZY! How do those of yall in a similar situation work out responsibilities? I don't want him to have to do everything every night, but he still needs to chip in. Keep it as is, and dad and I take up where older son has dropped out? I know we'll need to probably try a few things before landing on something that works for our family. I just need some starting points. :-)
Thanks guys!
Cindy in Texas
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akathy
What's For Dinner?
Still peaing from Podunk!
Posts: 4,546
Location: North Dakota
Jun 25, 2014 22:56:55 GMT
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Post by akathy on Jul 5, 2014 3:18:25 GMT
Trash and dishes don't sound very time consuming. Could you have your youngest son do them Monday through Friday and you and your DH take care of it on weekends?
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pixelated
Junior Member
I like carrots! No carrots for you!
Posts: 89 
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Post by pixelated on Jul 5, 2014 3:40:54 GMT
Less kids = less mess. I hope it works out.
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Post by scrapsuzy on Jul 5, 2014 9:32:48 GMT
Dishes and trash every day don't sound like too much to me. We've been in the same situation.
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Post by gar on Jul 5, 2014 10:44:17 GMT
I don't /didn't have such fixed chores so I'm not sure how I would do it in your situation. They were expected to fill thr dishwasher as we went along, turn it on if it was full, empty it if they were there when it finished, put laundry on sometimes, take dry stuff off thr airer as and when etc.
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Post by littlemama on Jul 5, 2014 11:19:36 GMT
Dishes and trash isn't much. DS (16) reg chores since he was about 12 are set and clear table, empty dishwasher, take out recycling and trash, stock fridge with pop, water, Gatorade, and clean his room. During the summer, he also cleans the living room, kitchen, and half bath.
He plays baseball for the hs, so when that is in full swing, we take on more of his reg duties.
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BarbaraUK
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Location: England UK
Jun 27, 2014 12:47:11 GMT
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Post by BarbaraUK on Jul 5, 2014 12:18:13 GMT
I don't /didn't have such fixed chores so I'm not sure how I would do it in your situation. They were expected to fill thr dishwasher as we went along, turn it on if it was full, empty it if they were there when it finished, put laundry on sometimes, take dry stuff off thr airer as and when etc. I used the same system as Gar so can't offer any useful suggestions, sorry!!  |
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Post by anxiousmom on Jul 5, 2014 12:31:41 GMT
We have the same (almost) thing happening here. The youngest is essentially absorbing the other chores, but the boy is 16 and I think he can handle it. LOL
A lot of times we are working together so I think that helps.
I think that one thing that also helps is that I have always had the idea that every member of the household is required to participate in the up keep of the house so I don't really look it at it as chores-more like just something that we do. If I ask you to take out the trash, it isn't because it is a scheduled event, but because it needs to be done.
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Post by justcindy on Jul 5, 2014 15:08:16 GMT
Oh, they definitely have more responsibility than just dishes and trash...with two boys those were just the things they argued about the most, so we came up with that "schedule" to nix the argument of "but I did it last time! Why don't you make ----do it?!"
Ugh, I think I'm just reeling from the fact that child #2 is flying the coop, and I'll only have one at home...trying to focus on logistics instead of coping with emotions. This just came on so freaking fast. I thought we'd have the rest of the summer to just "be" and enjoy him, ya know? He graduated june8, we had out of town company from june 5-13 and we left for vacation three days later. 4 days after getting home, we are whipped into a frenzy getting paperwork and dorm stuff together for him to move out 4 days after that. "Summer" is already gone for him and he hasn't even been out of school for a month yet!
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 3:45:02 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 15:17:51 GMT
I'm down to only one at home once both the girls head out for college in August. Personally, I don't think my DS should have to "absorb" all the chores just because he's the only kid left at home. (our daily chores are sorting/distributing laundry, scoop litter box, empty upstairs garbage, empty dishwasher, wipe table/sweep floors after meals and the maintaining of the recycle bin. (the "in the house bin...the garage bin...and the outside bin)
When DD#1 left, we "redistributed" her work between the two kids left and me. Everyone took on an extra task or two. (and by my list above...none of the tasks are that difficult or time consuming) Same thing goes now when both girls leave. I may give DS an extra task...but I too will be taking on more.
I don't think it's fair to saddle him with all of it simply because he is youngest and still home. We're all doing more. (but honestly, with 40% of the family gone...the work left really isn't that terrible)
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Post by anxiousmom on Jul 5, 2014 16:02:27 GMT
I'm down to only one at home once both the girls head out for college in August. Personally, I don't think my DS should have to "absorb" all the chores just because he's the only kid left at home. Maybe I should say "absorb" as in now that there are two of us, we don't have a third set of hands to share the work and it still has to be done. I don't really mean that he has to do everything. But we also don't have set chores, and so it isn't as if he had a list and his brother had a list and now he has to do both. I am a bit of a free range mom, and that often translates into not being a real "by the book" kind of mom too. For example, if I want the trash taken out, I ask. It isn't a scheduled chore. On top of that, the kid I have left is pretty easy going and fairly in tune to the fact that it is just me and him. If something looks like it needs to be done, he will often just do it without prompting from me. Except clean his bathroom. It smells like a bus station bathroom and he doesn't even notice. LOL |
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GiantsFan
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Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Jul 5, 2014 16:38:32 GMT
IMO, the last at home shouldn't have to get penalized for being the youngest. You and DH could alternate helping with the chores. It might make it seem that chores are not a punishment, but something that everyone has to do.
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