Do your children moan, groan and complain about helping out around the house?

United States
June 15, 2007 6:05am CST
My daughter used to help out around the house when she was younger and as she got older, helped out a little more, especially if she was having friends over. They only thing she really hated when she was little, was cleaning her own room. My oldest son was the same about his room, and now will only help clean if he has friends over. He loves to complain that his friends houses are not as messy as ours is, I had to remind him the other day, that he helps make the messes around here, but doesn't like to clean them up. My youngest son, who's 9, is probably the worst about it (or maybe I've just blocked out how the older kids were at his age). He pitches a fit every time we ask him to do something, the other day was probably the first time though that we actually heard him say, "why do always make me do everything around here?" I told him that if he wants me to make him to everything around here, I'll will, he said "Noooo!" So I haven't yet. I think that I know what part of the problem is, not that we ask him to help out with small things, because it's his house and it teaches him to clean up after himself, and "builds character" as I've heard people say, I think that it's with my mother-in-law living with us, she's a very over weight person with a few minor health problems that she makes worse by not taking care of herself, she's 62, but acts 82 (a sickly 82, my mother in her last couple of months, did more than my mother-in-law does, and took way better care of herself as far as diet, exercise and medications were concerned), any way, she asks him to do so much for her, so she doesn't have to do it. I feel like she's using him where I'm trying to teach him habits. I've never really given out allowances, but my children do get extra things they want if they've helped out. Do your children moan, groan and complain about helping out around the house?
4 people like this
13 responses
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
15 Jun 07
Priveledges all hinge on the state of the house. If told to do something they best do it since it will turn out better in the long run. We all have to tend to the house and as they get older they 'practice' and that helps me know that they can tend to their own houses. 14 yr old daughter is doing laundry now. Boy helps me in the garden. They both do dishes. The list goes on and on. Mom says and that is the way it is. I hope you have better luck from now on.
3 people like this
@Rickrocks8 (1751)
• United States
15 Jun 07
Oh girl I am so with ya! Mine are both boys 9&10. My baby boy is very easy going and he has times when he really wants to help me so he can get money! He is really wonderful at dusting the baseboards. Something that I just hate to do. But he loves it and makes things easier on me. MY oldest on the other hand will complain and moan and groan till the cows come home (we dont have cows) if I even ask him to pick up his room. I will have him dust and run the sweeper from time to time. He has really bad allergies and asthma so I have to do it 95% of the time so he has a clean place that he can rest My youngest is very messy he has like 4 differnt messes going on today. Sigh
3 people like this
@asmurthy (2461)
• India
16 Jun 07
Problems are always with children. When they are young they used behave nicely. They do whatever we ask them to do some errands for us. As they grow they become irresponsible. They don't keep their rooms neat. We have to bribe them to do some work for us.
@tholitz (1127)
• Philippines
16 Jun 07
My wife told me how my eldest son which is six years old complain when asked to do something in the house. He will always ask why he have to do that and why we just don't get a maid to do all that house chores. But he always follow when asked to buy something in the stores and make an errand.
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
15 Jun 07
Oh yea, the children constantly ask why do they have to pick this or that up. My fiancee points out to them that it is their own stuff that they are picking up and if they didn't make the mess they wouldn't have to clean it up. We don't ask the children to clean up after anyone else, just themselves. My fiancee tells them that if they don't really want to pick up then she won't make them but she hopes that they realize that if she is going to pick up stuff that isn't hers then she is going to do whatever she wants with it because once she picks it up it is now hers. This usually motivates them to get the stuff picked up before she does. The mother in law does sound like it could be an issue. Is there anyway that you could speak to her about what she is doing? Try explaining to her that she isn't showing a positive role model for the children.
3 people like this
@FSCAries (881)
• United States
16 Jun 07
HaHa... I remember those days! I don't have any kids but I would always give my mom a hard time whenever I had to do CHORES! After having had my own place though, I can see why she wanted us kids to help out, cleaning a whole house is a lot of work, especially when the only help you get is help messing things up!
2 people like this
• Nigeria
16 Jun 07
well i guess the hardest part of my chores to do would be the cleaning of my room cause i believe since it is my room i should be able to decide when and how i want to clean it and not be forced to do so. i can say i also groan, and complain once i feel very tired to do any chores especially when i am just waking up.
1 person likes this
@prenuer (277)
• United States
16 Jun 07
I helped eleviate this problem by assigning chores. Between my 3 kids, I rotate the bathroom, living room, and bathroom. In addition, they have to keep their rooms clean. And my motto is "do it right or do it again!" You might want to put your foot down with the mil. My mom moved in with me and she was getting on my oldest son nerves just like she use to get on mine. She only expects the oldest to help out. Sometimes, I put my foot down and sometimes I just deflect and say that I told them to do this, that, or the other. It is not the kids job to take care of grown folks, you know?
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
16 Jun 07
All the time! My daughter, age 14 moans & groans about cleaning her bedroom. My step son & step daughter leaves belongins all over the house. They expect me to pick them up. I don't. When they go back to their Mum, anything they have left lying around, I put on their beds!
@catherIN (430)
• United States
16 Jun 07
My kids use to help out a lot more. Use to. I'm not sure what changed.But, I've noticed much more moaning and groaning over the last year.Most of the time, I have to stay on them to get them to do anything.It really is frustrating.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
16 Jun 07
LOL - you mean there are kids that don't do this? Out of 4 children everyone of them has moaned and groaned at some point. Right now having just moved into the same house as 2 of my grandchildren I have found even they do it - one day they are dieing to help grandma and the next they want nothing at all to do with 'chores'.
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
15 Jun 07
I do moan, groan and complain when I was asked to help out around the house when I was young. Now, I am spared of doing housework as I am not at home most of the time. By the time I reached home, the housework was already done. It is same on weekends. I do volunteer myself to wash the fans when they are dirty. Perhaps I just enjoy washing the fans.
2 people like this
• Philippines
16 Jun 07
Lol, yes, sometimes they do..especially my 4 year-old daughter..she always complain, she said "im tired", "im lazy", or sometimes just frown..my eldest is the one really that can help me in the house..she sometimes complain but when i look at her with my "go or else look" she concedes
1 person likes this