Family rules for Home Organization

This is one area where I’m really confused and glad this topic came up coz I really need some advise. Now for my childhood..we’re a small family of working parents with single child so my mom always had hired help at home to do her daily chores, so no question of my ever pitching in to do any housework whatsoever…also, never say daddy pitch in with any work. He’s like the typical Indian male who believes that housework is only for women. Now for my present condition…we’re still a small family, working parents with single child but in this case, times have changed and so have hired helps. To cut it short…I’m that working woman with a regular office job but no hired help at home. I cook, I clean, I wash, I sit with my son’s homework… so I’m like up and about from 5am till midnight. As you can understand, tempers are not at the best and most of the time I’m just screaming at my husband for just sitting around (he being again the typical Indian male like my dad)…it makes me mad you know that how can somebody just sit tight and watch another person slog it out all the time!!! Anyway, I now sometimes allow my son (who’s only 11+) to help me in household work…simple things like the weekly dusting and so on. While it helps me a lot, I also suffer from guilt pangs that I’m making my son work from such an early age. Also, I do want him to become adept in household work but I don’t want him to end up doing everything (it becomes a habit, you know) while his wife would sit watching TV and ordering him around (there are such women, too)…really confused???!!!

When we were growing up, we had our chores to do and we all shared the work. But it doesn't work in my family now. Not because I don't assign work but because it's not the norm in my husband's family to have boys doing any work at home...forget washing their own plate, they don't even have to put it in the sink! Because of this reason enforcing such rules and assigning chores doesn't work here :-( If their father showed that it was important, my kids would have shared the housework..that I am sure of.

Good post! When I grew up I used to do work relating to marketing etc. As I was the elder of the two brothers and we used to live in a joint family, the burden of carrying out outside tasks was on my shoulders. As regards our own kids, we do assign different small tasks to our kids and keep checking whether they are doing it or not. We want them to realise the importance of self reliance and want to bring confidence in them that they can discharge certain functions themselves.

We have family meetings every month or so as needed. We designate chores. As things stand now my granddaughter comes over every few days and helps clean and whatever needs to be done for extra money. My grandson takes the trash out and helps his mom in the kitchen. My daughter does the wash, fixes meals and cleans their area downstairs. I live in a bedroom upstairs. I am retired and have medical issues so they take care of me. I am done doing all the meals and cleaning. Their turn!

I do have certain chores that my girls help with. They are old enough now to wash and fold their own clothes and their rooms need to be clean before they ask for anything else. I'm really only strict about those two things. I do ask them a couple of times a week to help with dishes. If they have left a mess in the bathroom after a shower or while getting ready..they clean the bathroom. I used to have "cleaning day" when they were younger. We would all clean different parts of the house. That was when they were younger though and the house needed it once a week. Now it's kind of a clean as needed thing..as the girls got older..they become a little less messy...lol.

I live alone, so, I have to organize my home. Of course, that I have a maid that comes one time a week, so, I don't have much work to do. But, when I was a kid, I remember that my mom and our maid used to make all the home work. Sometimes, we helped our mom to washed the dishes and cleaned our bedroom, but that was the maximum that we used to do. I think if the house don't have a maid, the kids should do part of the work, like clean their bedrooms and wash the dishes sometimes. That would give them sense of responsability. If the kids don't do their work, they can't do the things that they like, like be on computer or watch TV.

Hullo Mayka, My mother did not expect any sharing of work from children and she wanted us to devote all our time to our studies.Similarly, I did not want my son to bother about any work at home and wanted him to devote time to himself.We used to clean our own plates ; that is all. WHen I was in c ollege I used to clean the dining table[just wipe it] that was the maximum atI did and used to cook on the odd occasion of mom not being well. Now, I do have a servant to assist me with other household cleaning jobs like what was at my parents ' too. THis apart, buyng groceries, vegetables, and all sundry work, the major work in the kitchen are normally done by the lady /ladies of the house in our place. No sharing whatsoever by males.

It is wise to teach a toddler to put his or her toys away. The toy boxes could have pictures and words on. Trays can be used for children's art materials. I like the idea of children helping sort the washing and sweeping the floor. Mini dust pan and brush sets are available to buy. Praise works really well and moaning only causes upset. Punishment is horrible and won't achieve anything. The key to having helpful children is start them helping when they are young. With teens pocket money can work wonders to get them to do housework and gardening. However they have homework to do from school.

Hi dear, There was no such big rule at home but we used to divide the work at home. For eg. if my sister clean the courtyard then I have to clean the utensils. There was not much work in kitchen, just a helping hand for mother. We were particular on our work on everyday basis so there is no need of any punishment. Now, my kids are small but I know the elder one seems to be much lazy to do any work at home but the younger is willing do even though he is not able to do the works. Major percentage of works at home managed by me only.

Up until I left home to go to University, my Mother did everything around the house. When I left, I realised just how much work had to be put into running a home, and I decided to help out more now that I've returned. I will do a load of washing each day, and I am solely responsible for washing the dishes after a meal. It might not sound like a lot, but when I'm working full time every day it actually feels as though I do my fair share around the house. My brother does absolutely nothing, and complains when he's asked to do anything- which I think is very selfish.

In my family, since from very young age, we are taught to clean and tidy our room whenever it is dirty. We try not to let our house go dirty and messy. Even my child had started to learn to clean up his own stuffs and even toys whenever he don't want to play with them. Even my hubby is helping me out in maintaining our household chores. Because i can't stand a day without doing any clean-up of my home. I like to see a clean and messy free home.

my child is only two, but she helps around the house. She helps me switch laundry from the washer to the dryer. She sorts her clothes into shorts/pants and another pile for t-shirts. She also brings the forks and spoons to the table for dinner. I am hoping that this behavior and willingness to help really takes hold.