'Some mothers do have 'em'

I can't agree with you more MsTickle that equal time should be spent with parents raising their sons to know how to do basic "domestic" chores. I don't think this is much of a problem with those of the male gender who leave the nest at a certain age and live on their own until they do get married as they then have to "fend" for themselves...hehe...but it seems that once they do get married expect the woman to do everything...like duh? What happened?

many now do, and they these men when living alone become very great housekeepers and cooks, I have known several myself.

I definitely agree with you. I have two boys. The younger one is too young for chores besides putting his toys after he is done with them (he's 16 months and needs a reminder everytime). But my older son (who is 7.5 years old) is taught to help around the house. It's a good thing that he always liked to help me around...make my work of teaching him a lot more easier. When he was younger, he would follow me around watching how I did things...and slowly he started to do little things...and I gave him more chores to do. My younger one likes to TRY and sweep the place....and I let him...because I don't want him to think it's not a guy's job (that's the mentality in India today...and my in-laws would be shocked if they knew I was getting my son's to do it! They wouldn't like it if they saw my husband washing the dishes either.) Even before I was married....I knew I would train my sons/daughters to do household chores. I never bothered with cooking and cleaning when I was younger and knew how hard it was when I had to do it after marriage....I didn't want my kids (boys or girls) going through that.

i dont know why MEN, are like this, or maybe they called there self us a big hero of lazyness :), nope not all men actually some of them like a woman did to thier own family , home, but some also they never do works, even not heavy.

My husband and I are a bit old-fashioned in our beliefs, but we are raising our girls to be feminine and homemakers and our son will be raised to be the provider and to do the more "masculine" jobs around the house (vehicle work, lawncare, take out trash, etc). Having said that, we are teaching our son how to cook and clean as well and our daughters are being encouraged to pursue an education that they could use if they chose to or needed to work after they start their famiy. It works well for us to have distinct division of labor, yet we also have respect and care for each other as well. My husband generally makes all the money (works 2 jobs to do it) and takes care of the masculine work around the house and I cook and clean and raise the kids. However, I am able (and educated) to provide the necessary income if my husband ever had to stop working and I help to ensure that we are not wasting the money he earns (I also contribute a small amount each month to the income, but nothing to brag about). In return, my husband realizes that our children were created by both of us and he is always helping to "parent" the children when he is home. He also helps out with cooking and housework when there is just a lot going on or if I am not feeling well. I understand not everyone feels it is "right" and I respect their feelings, but this works for us and we are happier than we were before when we tried to make sure everything (income, amount of cleaning/cooking/childcare) was exactly equal.

Everything I do I plan on my sons learning how to do as well as my daughters. They will iron, do laundry, change diapers, look after their younger sister, cook, pick up after themselves, etc. I spent too many years catering to too many men who didn't know the difference between a doily and a dish towel and I won't have my kids end up like that.

I completely agree with you, which is why I am teaching my two boys to help around the house. My 8 year old helps with dishes, dinners (he was making his own sandwiches at 2) and is responsible for his own room. He also mops and sweeps sometimes and takes it in turns with me to watch his brother while I do chores. My 2 year old is not as coherent as his brother was at that age so I don't expect quite so much but he does help. He will load the washing machine and carry his own clothes into his room. I see no reason why boys shouldn't be taught the same things as girls. My partner is rather selfish and lazy when it comes to housework and child rearing. It seems he has been brought up to think that provided he goes to work, he doesn't have any responsibility at home. I don't want my kids to grow up like that. I don't know about the little one but my 8 year old knows what hard work it is to look after a home and family. It is up to parents to train their children to take responsibility in all areas of their life. If one parent is at home then it is mainly their responsibility but it helps a lot if the working parent helps too otherwose children are still going to grow up thinking that if they go out to work then they shouldn't have to help at home.

I di dteach my sons all that told them they might not have a wife to do it all the time . Me now I hardly ever played with dolls. Momma made me one for christmas once when I was 3 I think I put it aside went and found me a stcik and playd like it was my horse.

I don't think that boys are useless around the home, my friend. My eldest son, when he first left school, worked in a creche. He had to change nappies, feed babies and organise play times. Granted, he didn't do much when he got home because the babes had tired him out, but he's turned into a wonderful father to his two daughters. My younger son didn't get involved with child or baby care, but I used to have to go to work. When he first left school, he had no work to go to, but every evening when I got in from work, the house would be spotlessly clean and the dinner cooking. I was so grateful to him, after an eight hour day and an hour's journey home from work. So, you see, they're not all as useless as you think. I didn't have to do much to teach them either, other than they had to do small chores around the home as children... nothing drastic. Brightest Blessings, love and hugs. xx

I only have one son, but he does help around the house. Especially loves to vacuum, probably cause the vacuum has wheels-and we all know how boys loves wheels lol. I think the roles of women in the home, and men out of the house are changing. I want to raise him where he does everything and helps his future wife (or husband hehe, never know) around the house.

My son is 6 years old and thankfully, is at the age where he still wants to help with things. He wanted to shovel the driveway. He wanted to help me vacuum the house. He helps me do laundry. And together, we get quite a bit done. My husband is disabled, and while he tries, he has a hard time doing a lot of things around the house. My son is a tremendous help. Another thing we implemented is the "Chore/Fun" chart. Every week he has a specific list of chores that he has to do; everything from picking up his room to remembering to brush his teeth every day. These are things that make my life easier since I don't have to hassle him to do them, and at the end of the week, he gets to go or do whatever he wants. This week he was supposed to make sure his room stays clean, and to get himself ready for school or daycare. He did it, and tomorrow we're going to the zoo. So it makes it fun for him, and he sees the value in earning his rewards, rather than just having things handed to him.

My husband and I had this discussion recently! Our son is 7 and does a good job of picking up after himself. My husband and I both agreed that as our son gets older, he will learn how to do household tasks (laundry, washing dishes, scrubbing toilets, etc). We both agreed that we feel these are life skills that he needs to know and that we wouldn't want him to depend on someone else to do these things. I do have to note that my husband does not do any household tasks at all, which I think is horrible!

My boys were raised to be able to take care of themselves. They know how to run the dishwasher and wash dishes by hand, washer/dryer, iron , stove and vacuum cleaner. They're now 26 and 23 and do just fine.

I absolutely do agree that boys should be taught to be as responsible for household chores as girls,and to do their own laundry, dishes, cooking, etc. In my case, I wasn't even taught to do domestic chores very well. I learned to cook after I was married, by necessity. I'm still not very domestically inclined, and neither is my husband. I do laundry and basic cleaning, bu the house is cluttered and disorganized. It would help if one of us had been taught those skills growing up! My mom just did most things (except dishes and laundry) herself; she worked but she still thought it was easier that way. If men know how to do these things, then they are more independent and don't need to lean on a woman to 'take care of them' and that is better for everyone!

When out 2 eldest were young ( now both in their 40's with teenagers ) I taught them how to bake cook iron and generally learn to take care of themselves . My mother thought this was terrible as boys shouldn't do that sort of thing , They are great guys ( all 3 of my sons ) and my DIL's think it was great xx

I had one half brother. When he lived with us, he was expected to do the 'girl' chores, also. He complained about it, sure, but he did them. I think that all boys should be raised this way. I think that girls should learn how to do the 'boy' chores, also. It is only fair that they both be required to learn to do each other's 'gender responsibility' things.

By the time my stepson was in high school, he was doing his own laundry and was a pretty good cook. On the other hand, my daughters knew how to check the oil, water and transmission fluid on a car. They knew how to do minor repairs around the house, take care of a yard and home. No, it's not a contradiction, it's preparing them for the real world, where they may or may not get married, but they will be able to do things on there own, for themselves, without having to have someone there to do those things. I was always independent, and I wanted my girls to be also. I could live on my own and take care of things, I didn't have to have a man around the house to do it for me, it's nice, but not a necessity.lol

Well hello MsTickle, I know right off the bat we have something in common. My mother (God rest her soul) and I used to watch that show, "Some Mothers Do Have Em". That show was about the funniest show I ever saw. That guy was so hilarious. I wish they would put that back on again. Anyway, my opinion, there is no hope for guys. They just don't have it in them. Their clean and my clean are definitely two different things. My boys are great in all the other ways men are, but house work. I'll keep that for myself. See ya friend, Cheryl

I have two daughters, but if I had had a son, he would be just as capable as the girls of cleaning house and cooking. My Dad was quite good at cleaning and cooking. I don't think it's fair to boys to not teach them survival skills, too. Men who don't want their boys taught these skills are such cave men! When both parents are working, (which mine did), it takes two people to keep it up and do a good job. My grandson is on his way to being a great cook and he's only 10. He's been cooking for several years now. Washing dishes...not yet. Hopefully he will, though.

i feel it takes to poeple to run a household.by sharing its not left to one person to do it all.