Advice needed from working mums

[scarlett]

Lifes like groundhog day for me.....you spend a big chunk of the day tweaking your house into a masterpiece , only to find the next day it would appear you had been burgled and you have to start all over again .The key to feeling you don't need to perform the drop and roll movement at the window if anyone unexpectedly calls is just to make sure those rooms on view to the general public are spotless.........just shut the doors on the other rooms !!!

[yoyo123]

Lifes like groundhog day for me.....you spend a big chunk of the day tweaking your house into a masterpiece , only to find the next day it would appear you had been burgled and you have to start all over again .The key to feeling you don't need to perform the drop and roll movement at the window if anyone unexpectedly calls is just to make sure those rooms on view to the general public are spotless.........just shut the doors on the other rooms !!!

so true!

[SSM]

Lifes like groundhog day for me.....you spend a big chunk of the day tweaking your house into a masterpiece , only to find the next day it would appear you had been burgled and you have to start all over again .The key to feeling you don't need to perform the drop and roll movement at the window if anyone unexpectedly calls is just to make sure those rooms on view to the general public are spotless.........just shut the doors on the other rooms !!!

so true!

Totally agree. DSs rooms, you can't walk in due to all the clothes/books on the floor. However, downstairs is nice and tidy, I don't allow them to leave a mess downstairs. If they're at school and I'm tidying up, if I come across anything of theirs lying around I just throw it into their rooms

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one in this situation.

[Lookinglass]

oh its all so so true drop & roll.........

[KS10]

I have no shame: I nag the kids all the time to tidy up after themselves, but DD's floor is being used by her naughty mother as a make-up area. I am in the process of moving everything, but it's taking a little longer than anticipated. The child has the patience of a saint!

[Belinda]

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[rachag]

I read in one of those chicken soup books that looking after a home is like painting the Forth Bridge. Seems simple but this thought really helped me to get it into perspective and not expect ever to be in the situation where all washing done and away, all house clean etc etc.
Also, I don't think that going to work is that bad with tidiness of house. At least if you are out, no more mess is made. My totally non working friends do not have either tidier or cleaner houses than working mums. Also, they seem to take much longer to do things as jobs seems to expand to fill the time. When working, its stunning how much it concentrates your mind on not wasting time on housework.
'Down with superwoman' is still an interesting read. She says that if they can't be bothered to put it away, then neither should you and advocates a box under the kitchen table where all their stuff is dumped if they leave it around.
I agree that getting them to do something in the home is about respect for others in the family but equally, it depends on if they are lolling in front of tv or ploughing through homework. Even if they are working though, doesn't mean they can't take stuff upstairs if left out!
Also, I like the family to sort of 'be in synch', like all doing stuff early evening - home work, instrument practice, cooking, putting on clean sheets etc - and then all being able to chill later on.


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[scarlett]

I agree with the cardboard box idea , Rachag...but not under the kitchen table where you can see it. Anything my husband leaves lying around ( he's the worst ) I throw in a big black binbag and squash it into his wardrobe...trying to crumple up his suits as I do so .......he's getting better...we've got down to a tesco bag now...

[rachag]

The black bin bag technique also appears in 'down with superwoman'!
My biggest bug bear is that if all cupboards are full, there is nowhere to put anything! I'm always trying to get the hoarders in my family to appreciate this and throw stuff away or give it to charity to create some space so that they can actually find stuff they want.
Someone will get a huge pile of 11+ stuff in 4 years time - may post it on here

[scarlett]

You need to have a clear out whilst everyone is at work / school etc then they don't really notice....otherwise I find there is mass rummaging in the bin bags and most of the rubbish is re claimed

Of course if they do notice missing objects...it works in your favour that they are messy and disorganised...you just tell them that if they put things back in their place they would be able to find things more easily....they must be under the bed etc.....