am i a bad mom???

[Sarah_Rose]

But I will admit I have thought of somehow putting a basket on one of my German SHepards and teaching him how to deliver everyone's clothes or if he could just learn how to fold, ok he has no thumbs. But if he did..............

While at an Arthritis Walk a few months ago, we met a woman with a service dog who takes the laundry to the washer, puts it in, and then puts it in the dryer. It then carries the clean dry clothes to the bedroom. The dog needs help with the soap and the washer and dryer buttons, of course, and is folding-challenged, but can do everything else! My DH and I were just standing there open-mouthed with our two German Shepherds, like, "what have you guys done to earn your kibble, today?" I tried teaching my big smart male to put the laundry in the washer, but he thought it was more fun to carry the socks around the house!

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

While at an Arthritis Walk a few months ago, we met a woman with a service dog who takes the laundry to the washer, puts it in, and then puts it in the dryer. It then carries the clean dry clothes to the bedroom. The dog needs help with the soap and the washer and dryer buttons, of course, and is folding-challenged, but can do everything else! My DH and I were just standing there open-mouthed with our two German Shepherds, like, "what have you guys done to earn your kibble, today?" I tried teaching my big smart male to put the laundry in the washer, but he thought it was more fun to carry the socks around the house!

maybe you hit upon the problem.....

we should teach the kids to carry the dirty laundry in their mouths to the washer!

betcha they wouldn't forget!!!

 

[cheermom1]

Are you kidding???? You are NOT a bad mom, repeat with me "I am not a bad mom". Heck my kids have come to me and asked if they can do this or that for money. I'm happy to let them

MY dd has cleaned my room so many times for certain things it is not funny..I work full time as does dh and with 5 kids how would we ever get anything done???

then when one of the other kids see her with money or whatever the deal was they get like, 'what'? I tell them they can have some too if they would do this or that and most of the time they say no so they get "no soup for you" he he

anyway nothing wrong in what you did at all she willing and you are willing and she knows you are pooped the others are being slobs at the moment so she is happy to do it for money and she knows it needs to be done. I also suspect that she will feel better with it being clean as well

 

[tasha99]

Heck, I tried to do that with my kid but she wouldn't bite!

I'm not lazy, just employed full time and in grad school as well.

Me too. I know someone who had a perfect house. I remember her complaining that she wasn't prepared for a test because she'd spent the weekend cleaning (because I'd been complaining about how crappy my house looked). She didn't get accepted to grad school, so I think that in the long run, putting the house last worked out for me. I will be hiring someone after I graduate, but till then, we just try to have family housecleaning parties on the weekends. My kids may not be learning "taking pride" but they're learning that getting A's and lots of volunteer work in your field will get you further in a career than vacuuming ever could.

 

[minkydog]

You're not a bad mom. You're just over-whelmed. Give yourself a break and resolve to get back on track the week after Christmas. The kids will be bored then anyway.

I say pay 'em if you have to. I used to pay DS23 to do the family laundry. I didn't do laundry for 2 years and we never had pink underwear either.

 

[Buckalew11]

I don't think this makes you a bad mom.

And I think your 14yo sounds like a great kid.

However, I'd have big issues with the 18yo and the 16yo not pulling their weight. JMO. Sounds like sickness and whatever was a disruption but now it is just laziness. I'd get on that real quick.

 

[denise5374]

I did the same thing over the summer...DD16 needed a job and I needed someone to clean the house, she did a great job too.

 

[luvmyfam444]

maybe you hit upon the problem.....

we should teach the kids to carry the dirty laundry in their mouths to the washer!

betcha they wouldn't forget!!!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I don't think this makes you a bad mom.

And I think your 14yo sounds like a great kid.

However, I'd have big issues with the 18yo and the 16yo not pulling their weight. JMO. Sounds like sickness and whatever was a disruption but now it is just laziness. I'd get on that real quick.

I agree, especially if you have allowed your son's girlfriend to move in and neither he nor she (when she wasn't sick) are pulling their own weight. Everybody needs to chip in -- no free rides.

 

[Art 1]

You could hire a cleaning service.

 

[MizTink]

ok, now the funny part.......
dd14 got the others motivated i guess!
after i little while of her moving around them, and asking "where do you want me to put this?", everyone started chipping in!!!!!
i'm still giving her the $$$, and no one else will know!!

 

[golfgal]

Our kids have always been able to earn money doing things around the house that I don't like to do, the more I don't like to do it, the more they got paid. DS14 got paid $20/week plus "tips" (all the money found in the laundry) to do laundry. I didn't do a load of laundry for over 2 years . Now that he is in high school he doesn't have time to do it

Scrubbing the kitchen/laundry room floor is another big one--if they scrubbed on hands and knees that was worth $20 (big floor area). If they mopped, $5.

If your DD is willing to do it and does good job, why the heck not. I would rather pay my kids than a cleaning company.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My motto is....make it work, so no complaints from me.