I’m an only child. Â Well, if you don’t count my baby brother. Â So I’m always amazed by human sibling interaction.
Recently  I made a chore chart, because I realized that I was running around maniacally while the kids were doing nothing.
Set Table
Clear Table
Unload Dishwasher
Take out garbage/ Recycling
Four chores, times seven days, divided by three kids, means that they each got to pick nine chore slots, and then there was one left over.  No one volunteered for that one, so on Sunday night, Husbandrinka will be clearing the table.  So each kid got to choose their chores.  Except Young Ladrinka got to choose last, and by that time, the only chore available was Clear Table which is The Worst Chore in the History of Chores.  As a matter of fact, they’re going to be having a parade in honor of children forced to clear the table after dinner to thank them for their service to our country.
Every night while he clears the table, he says things like “I can’t believe that I’m stuck with this stupid chore. PLUS, I’ve been sick all week.” Â I’m thinking of getting an out-of-work musician to accompany him on the violin. Â Don’t worry, he’ll get to choose second next week, and first the week after that.
So knowing the pain and emotional anguish that Clearing the Table causes her younger brother, what does my daughter do?
She gets the extra plates for herself. Â Yes, she has a bread plate, and a main plate and a salad plate and a small plate for her cookie and a plate to hold her napkin. Â So Young Ladrinka has to clear extra plates. Â But it totally backfires. Â Because she’s the one who has to unload the dishwasher.
One year ago ...
- Medlars - 2013
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
I had a similar “Hey, these slackers are sitting around picking their toes while I run ragged” moment recently. Last night I had the toddler vacuuming.
.-= Swistle´s last blog ..Adding (a Pet) to the Family =-.
Twitter: CocoAtScreaming
November 12, 2009 at 8:38 am
I LOVE it. Kids will work harder to not do something when it is so much simpler to just DO it.
I don’t understand people whose children don’t do chores.
What the hell other reason was there to have kids??
.-= Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog ..At A Loss (part two) =-.
Twitter: vboykis
November 12, 2009 at 9:17 am
Why don’t you add “Make dinner” there into the mix and see how much they complain about clearing the table at that point.
.-= Vicki´s last blog ..NaNoWriMo: Day 11 =-.
Because, as they say in this country, “I want to live to see another day.”
thanks for reminding me that my kids don’t do squat. things are going to get a little shake-up around here this weekend.
Hope you point it out to her, but AFTER she’s made extra work for herself for a few days.
.-= Jennifer H´s last blog ..Buttons =-.
Unfortunately, she realized it that same night. Damn it.
Twitter: hotcomestodie
November 12, 2009 at 11:11 am
With only 2 kids (that I know of) in our family, it was much easier. One week I had to set the table, clear the table and load the dishwasher and then I got the next week off and my sister did it. If either of our parents (that I know of) forgot and asked the wrong child to set the table, that child would yell out NOT MY WEEK, SUCKERS. And then run for her life.
.-= Suzy´s last blog ..Why The Internet Doesn’t Always Suck =-.
Twitter: Peajaye
November 12, 2009 at 11:34 am
shouldn’t “refill mommy’s martini glass” be on that list?
karma; she is a bitch, no?
.-= TMCPhoto´s last blog ..Electric 4 ACEO =-.
Twitter: Issascrazyworld
November 12, 2009 at 1:00 pm
A plate for her napkin? Man I like that girl. Ha.
Of course, paybacks a bitch…or a baby brother.
.-= Issa´s last blog ..Happy 2nd birthday Maddie Moo =-.
I am one of those parents whose children don’t do any chores. I made a list once, but really I just had to go back and redo everything anyways. Recently my 15 year offered to do chores again, but for a price. So now on occassion when he actually does the chores(minimal amount, I might add) he wants to be paid immediately and in cash. $10. WTF. This can’t possibly be my kid!
Twitter: MommysMartini
November 12, 2009 at 1:30 pm
You should tell them that back in the good old days (you know, when we all had to walk to school, barefoot, in the snow, uphill BOTH ways), Mamas used to make chore charts like that that had *in addition* to the daily chores, a set of Saturday chores that included cleaning the bathrooms, doing the family laundry, and vacuuming/dusting the whole house. Huh. How convenient. That seems to be three chores. To divide amongst three kids. That how my two sisters and I counted it up anyway. Does the New Math count it differently? If not, they really should be giving you a thank you gift rather than complaining.
hmmm…in my house, the kid who wants to do chores is two years old and its a chore cleaning up after his chores!!
Twitter: daydreamymama
November 12, 2009 at 1:52 pm
When I was a kid, we had chores: upstairs bathroom, downstairs bathroom, dusting and vacuuming. Clearing the table is CAKE. Not that I enjoy it myself.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Reader Response =-.
I know you’re gonna roll your eyes, but if you move across the world and live in a developing country as an expat, you could raise kids who never lift a finger because there is a slew of househelp…
Does that help? 😉
.-= Holli´s last blog ..Walk in – Roll Out. Houston hosts Holli =-.
Have they begun deal making between themselves yet?
Twitter: Mamabirddiaries
November 12, 2009 at 9:57 pm
i loathe unloading the dishwasher. I think that is the very worst job.
Like Catherine, I was also worked like a slave until my fingers bled. My advice is to tell him to deal with it or you will consider moving to the suberbs where he will also have to rake leaves, weed, and cut the grass.
.-= JulieBouf´s last blog ..Happy, happy, happy Birthday! =-.
Twitter: HipMom
November 13, 2009 at 7:38 am
LOL – your kids are hilarious. They almost make me wish I had a sibling in addition to the multitude of cousins I grew up with (I am Italian after all, which means expanded family). Almost.
As a matter of fact, they’re going to be having a parade in honor of children forced to clear the table after dinner to thank them for their service to our country.
You can include my daughter in the line of children to be honored, at least according to her