going on strike
By gammygirl
@gammygirl (38)
United States
February 14, 2007 6:52am CST
When my daughter was 14, she and my late husband were slobs. I worked around 14 hours a day and I did all the cooking and cleaning and laundry. One day I got fed up with my two slobs and went on strike. For 2 weeks I didn't clean anything of theirs. I didn't cook for them, I left their clothes where they were thrown. It almost killed me to look at my home in the mess it was in but I had had it. One day I decided to go home after work and clean. But I didn't have to. When I got to my front door, there were roses taped to the door. I could smell cleaning chemicals and food. My husband and my daughter had cleand the house and did the laundry and cooked dinner. I should have known something was up that morning. My husband was a morning disc jockey and he made a comment on the air that I must me serious about he and my daughter pulling their own weight because he didn't have any clean clothes left. After that, any time they became lax, I would just mention the word strike. It's hard to believe but that was 23 years ago.
3 responses
@NYSheDevil (25)
• United States
18 Feb 07
If more parents did that their kids wouldn't be such spoiled brats.
2 people like this
@MBourgeois (177)
•
14 Feb 07
I'm positive you did the right thing. My mother used to work like hell as well, and for what? When she would call us to eat dinner, my dad wouldn't show up for at least another 15 minutes, if not 30, when the food would be cold. What's the point of going through so much hassle only to see that no one really cares for it?
She never actually made us do much (we also had a cleaning lady, which helps), but now that both her daughters have grown up, and that she's divorced, we do help around the house a lot more. We do the laundry and cook from time to time. She works at home, being a freelancer, but she's always so busy that it's obvious we'd have to help her.
My current boyfriend could very well be a chef, but I still do my best to cook for him from time to time. The main reason why I don't is because I never know when he'll be back, and I don't want to be like my mother was -- it's much too sad. I'd hate to spend time cooking something for someone who won't be back for another 3 hours. But we do share the rest of the tasks :)
@gammygirl (38)
• United States
14 Feb 07
As a post script. Several years later, when my daughter was married and living in her own home, she called to say "I'm sorry mom.I understand now how hard it was on you." It's nice to know our kids learn.
@MBourgeois (177)
•
20 Feb 07
That's really cute and nice of your daughter! I'll have to remember to do the same with my mom when I do truly move in with someone.
