WAG House Chores

[Iwannabemargo]

sounds like my house@MILgymFAM -

 

[LucyTRA]

When I was a kid, we didn't really have chores that we had to do, other than keeping our rooms tidy. As we got older we were expected to be more self sufficient, and when we hit sixteen our parents started paying us monthly 'allowance' which was waaay different to the weekly pocket money we had been used to. It was costed out for the whole year and included everything from school meals and clothes to haircuts (I'm not joking!) and travel costs. If we spent it all by the middle of the month, we would be very hungry at school (if we could afford the bus fare to get there) and our parents wouldn't bail us out.

With it came the responsibility of doing our own laundry, washing up after dinner some of the time (though there were occasions when our parents would do it), cooking dinner if you were the first home and keeping our rooms clean and tidy. If we werent there we got out of most of that, so if you're at gym all the time, it does seem kinda unreasonable to be expected to deal with a load of stuff you didn't help to mess up when you get home!

 

[still hanging]

Training 20 hours a week in my mind is a chore! LOL! From school to gym than getting home at 8:30, who has time. I do expect her to bring down and put away her laundry, do what ever is asked of her (this as times permits, usually very minimal) and pick up her own crap!

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

No regular chores for any except oldest does her own laundry. Other than that, they are expected to work hard at school and sport, keep rooms neat (not necessarily clean, lol, but neat), help clear away dishes after themselves, feed pets/take out trash/walk dogs when asked.

 

[cazoon]

My sister and I help set and clean the table, help cook, help with laundry, and take care of the pet dog. In our family, my parents work and are about just as busy as we are so everyone finds time to help each other out with keeping the house looking decent. We do have a cleaning lady come every other week though...

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

My dd leaves for school with her dad at 8:00 and gets the bus from school to gym, then by the time I pick her up and get home it's 6:30 or 7:00.

She eats dinner, does homework and gets some free time to text her friends, play up the street or do nothing until she needs to be in bed at 9:00 now.

She has regular expectations, clear your dishes from the table, make your own lunch for school, fold and put away your laundry, etc. if she wants to earn money she can do extras like weeding, raking, shovelling, etc.

She is so busy with everything, she is learning the things that other kids learn from "chores" through gym. She is responsible, manages her time, and all those other attributes we know and see in our gymnasts.

Her bedroom is another story. I close the door when I don't like it.

 

[gwenmom]

I'm of a different mindset. Gymnastics is a privilege and family and school come first. In our family this means you help out with chores. DD is expected to keep her room clean, put away her laundry, help with the dishes, and general clean up around the house.

Additionally, I do not think it's fair that my DD gets out of chores to do something fun when DS who is not on team carries is required to help out the family chore wise.

 

[emilykatherine]

I don't have chores, but my room, bathroom, and car all have to stay clean. And I have to pick up all my trash. I personally think it wouldn't be fair. I'm a gymnast and a coach. Honors and ap student. I have 7 classes they all have homework each night and I'm at the gym till 8 everyday with a 40 minute ride home. On top of all that I'm 16 and have to make my own dinner. If I had to do Daily chores I'd probably quit I would be able to handle it. And to all you parents that say gymnastics is a privilege not a right..... I think you're wrong I think gymnastics has taught me more than school and a few chores around the house. I don't mean to sound mean just my opinion

 

[raenndrops]

Before the girls' "Stepmom" moved in, OG and YG helped around the house... cleaned their room and picked up their messes... put their clothes away... helped with the pets... and cleaned the bathroom once a week or so. My brother washed and dried the clothes and I folded. He also kept up on dishes with occasional help from my sister and I.

Now that there are twice as many in the house (plus 2 extra dogs, 2 bunnies, and 3 chickens-these at least are outside), there is more to do. I still fold the clothes and the kids are SUPPOSED to put their own clothes away - OG and YG & their brothers do this... it is the "steps" that don't unless specifically told - which is hard when I am at the gym.
Older stepsis also leaves shortly after school EVERY Wednesday to go with her father, so her chore isn't done (and is excused because she was with her father for 4.5 hours)... but Older Bro is NOT excused from his chore even when he left the house at 720am Friday and was gone for 2 days (He had to help Dad at the shop until 5pm, then go to a Boy Scout Camp for the weekend and when SM got home Fri evening, she was mad that he didn't get the dishes, his Friday chore, done). He got home today... had to help out at SM's father's house for 6 hours, then come home and do dishes. I DID do some dishes over the weekend and so did my brother, so there weren't AS MANY as there could have been. We also made sure to do laundry (SM insists on using detergent and fabric softener that my sis and I are allergic to, so we MAKE SURE our laundry is done separately (and if there isn't enough for a full load, I throw OG and YG's clothes in with ours) and I also make sure we do at least one load of towels "our way" ... but of course, when I fold "their" loads, I still get all itchy, lol.

 

[COz]

My goodness that sounds like a complicated family situation @raenndrops. I've just realised that I might have misunderstood from your previous postings. I'd thought that you had step kids and I'd assumed that you were 'old' like me

 

[raenndrops]

My goodness that sounds like a complicated family situation @raenndrops. I've just realised that I might have misunderstood from your previous postings. I'd thought that you had step kids and I'd assumed that you were 'old' like me

lol, I am "old" ... oldest in the house. Was me, bro, sis, and the gymmies when they wanted to stay with us... now it is me, bro, sis... AND the gymmies' dad, stepmom, older bro, older stepsis, other bro (10 mos younger than OG), and younger stepsis... and YG every other week (plus gym days til after gym) and OG usually every other weekend (plus when she asks to come over b4 gym).
We have a fairly big house - 6 bedrooms, office, LR, DR, kitchen, 3 bathrooms (as soon as the last one gets a door), and 2 laundry rooms... PLUS there is an "attic" that COULD double as a 7th bedroom or one HUGE walk-in closet (big enough for 2 king-size beds AND complete bedroom sets for both).

But, as an LOL, I took a quiz on Facebook about how long you have been with your significant other ... used the girls' dad as the person I answered questions about (his wife doesn't mind)... it said we have been happily together for 20 years .

 

[gymmomx2]

lol, I am "old" ... oldest in the house. Was me, bro, sis, and the gymmies when they wanted to stay with us... now it is me, bro, sis... AND the gymmies' dad, stepmom, older bro, older stepsis, other bro (10 mos younger than OG), and younger stepsis... and YG every other week (plus gym days til after gym) and OG usually every other weekend (plus when she asks to come over b4 gym).
We have a fairly big house - 6 bedrooms, office, LR, DR, kitchen, 3 bathrooms (as soon as the last one gets a door), and 2 laundry rooms... PLUS there is an "attic" that COULD double as a 7th bedroom or one HUGE walk-in closet (big enough for 2 king-size beds AND complete bedroom sets for both).

But, as an LOL, I took a quiz on Facebook about how long you have been with your significant other ... used the girls' dad as the person I answered questions about (his wife doesn't mind)... it said we have been happily together for 20 years .

Lol, I still confused as ever! Are you related to the gymmies at all? What is your relationship with gymmies dad? I always thought you were their stepmom.

 

[Quadqueen]

In my mind, chores are associated with allowance. Since my kids don't get an allowance (I don't see the need for it, nor can we really afford it), in my mind they don't do "chores." What they do, however, is whatever I ask of them at a particular moment, including (over the past few months): running a load of laundry, loading or unloading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, vacuuming, sweeping or mopping, cleaning the bathrooms, gardening, and cooking. None of it on a regular schedule, just chip in wherever I need them. Obviously they are responsible at all times for their own rooms. I look at it like this. I get run ragged from their activities, school stuff, and driving my hubby to/fro, in addition to doing nearly all the cleaning, and cooking at least two meals a day from scratch. If we are running late and I need their help, they should do it with a smile, because we are only running around for them in the first place.

This was exactly how I explained it this afternoon to my son when he whined yet again when I asked him to go get the eggs from the chicken coop .

 

[COz]

We have a fairly big house - 6 bedrooms, office, LR, DR, kitchen, 3 bathrooms (as soon as the last one gets a door), and 2 laundry rooms... PLUS there is an "attic" that COULD double as a 7th bedroom or one HUGE walk-in closet (big enough for 2 king-size beds AND complete bedroom sets for both).

Wow! I don't think I've even seen a house that big, ever!
I'm still completely confused about your household too You might be my hero though!

 

[raenndrops]

Wow! I don't think I've even seen a house that big, ever!
I'm still completely confused about your household too You might be my hero though!

I grew up in a big family... The girls' dad is going to be buying land behind our house... but the family that owns the lot can't sell it now until they rebuild their house on the front lot (it burned down 3 weeks after the first talks to buy it ). 2 months later, the house the dad & fam were renting went into foreclosure and they moved in with us temporarily. Once the property is ready, they will buy it... put a modular home on it... and move out.

We are like one big, happy family (for the most part).
Their dad tries to make sure nothing has changed for OG and YG because we actually bought this house FOR the girls . OUR old house was 792 sq. ft. My sis slept in the living room, I slept in the dining room, my brother slept in the "real" bedroom, and the girls had a playroom at the top of the stairs.
We have SO MUCH more space here... and a HUGE yard!

 

[raenndrops]

Lol, I still confused as ever! Are you related to the gymmies at all? What is your relationship with gymmies dad? I always thought you were their stepmom.

I am like an aunt... but not TECHNICALLY related. I have known them since before OG was born. Since OG was 1, she has never missed one of MY family reunions. The girls both call my dad "Pappy R" and my stepmom is their "Grammy D". The girls' dad started out as a parent... then he was also a friend and mechanic... now he is like my brother (but better than my real brothers because he is actually nice to me, lol).

It is complicated, but it works for us

 

[happychaos]

lol, I am "old" ... oldest in the house. Was me, bro, sis, and the gymmies when they wanted to stay with us... now it is me, bro, sis... AND the gymmies' dad, stepmom, older bro, older stepsis, other bro (10 mos younger than OG), and younger stepsis... and YG every other week (plus gym days til after gym) and OG usually every other weekend (plus when she asks to come over b4 gym).
We have a fairly big house - 6 bedrooms, office, LR, DR, kitchen, 3 bathrooms (as soon as the last one gets a door), and 2 laundry rooms... PLUS there is an "attic" that COULD double as a 7th bedroom or one HUGE walk-in closet (big enough for 2 king-size beds AND complete bedroom sets for both).

But, as an LOL, I took a quiz on Facebook about how long you have been with your significant other ... used the girls' dad as the person I answered questions about (his wife doesn't mind)... it said we have been happily together for 20 years .

It's a modern day Brady Bunch! Or a reality show- seriously, you can't make this stuff up! It sounds like your gymmies are well-loved Raenndrops

 

[gracyomalley]

My kids all have chores - they take care of the chickens, goats, llama, help with meals and their cats and dogs, with irrigation and with general upkeep (bathrooms, laundry, etc). they all train between 16-20 hours a week. They all play violin in at least one orchestra. I work 30 hours a week, and their dad left when the oldest was 7 - they have to help out, its the way it is!

They rarely have "playdates" as the time at gym and orchestra/quartet is friend time - and we live in the middle of no where. This summer DD had about 1 sleep over/playdate a week - which was a totally new thing based upon her needing to make new friendships at new gym. That's over now that we are in school mode.

We have always homeschooled - not because of gym/music, but homeschooling has allowed them to continue to be active parts of the family/community while pursuing their activities. I know there are great kids out there who grow into responsible adults without ever doing anything but working hard at school and activities....but learning to budget your own time/be responsible to family and animals, make a meal, clean a chicken coop, clean a bathroom, etc is a skill I want mine to have before they hit the real world where no one will be telling them what to do every hour.

I have to say I can't imagine how those kids who go from home at 7am to home at 9pm do it - so different from our experience. So I am not saying what we do is "better" in any way - I really don't know how you all do it!!

 

[BachFlyer]

In my mind, chores are associated with allowance. Since my kids don't get an allowance (I don't see the need for it, nor can we really afford it), in my mind they don't do "chores." What they do, however, is whatever I ask of them at a particular moment, including (over the past few months): running a load of laundry, loading or unloading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, vacuuming, sweeping or mopping, cleaning the bathrooms, gardening, and cooking. None of it on a regular schedule, just chip in wherever I need them. Obviously they are responsible at all times for their own rooms. I look at it like this. I get run ragged from their activities, school stuff, and driving my hubby to/fro, in addition to doing nearly all the cleaning, and cooking at least two meals a day from scratch. If we are running late and I need their help, they should do it with a smile, because we are only running around for them in the first place.

Ditto here. Minus the husband

 

[LizzieLac]

I give my kids what they can handle. First priority is school and then sports, but as both parents work fulltime, don't expect that you will not contribute or have responsibilities.

They occasionally walk and feed dog (she is my baby so really I deal with the dog the most ). They must make beds in AM, fold and put their clean laundry, set table when we eat together (which is only 2-3 times a week), clear table, load and empty dishwasher (we all do this), occasionally clean toilets and vaccum when they have time.

With school and sports being so demanding, I try not to ask a lot of additional chores of them, but they generally make their own meals (DD cooks for me quite a bit when she has time and is quite good at it)!

I wish their rooms and shared bathroom were a little neater (DS is not so bad, DD is a slob)!