Is it too late for my 13 YO boy?

[Anonymous]

We also have a cleaning person and I told her to stop cleaning the kids rooms a while back - that way, it is up to the kids to clean their own rooms at all times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a friend who grew up very wealthy. She had maids that would unpack her suitcase after she returned from travel, sweep up all of her crumbs, fold and put away her laundry. You'd think she'd become a total, lazy slob. It actually had the opposite effect. She can't stand mess. Now that she's an adult and on her own (with much scaled down domestic help), she has a spotless house. She's constantly sweeping and tidying. Her house was spotless growing up and that's the way she thinks houses need to be. So, all is not lost.

She sounds fascinating too.

I'm not sure what this comment is supposed to mean. When she was a child, she wasn't responsible for all the domestic help her parents hired. She definitely wasn't responsible for how rich they were. And, she managed to grow up and not be a spoiled brat. All in all, she is pretty fascinating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to get on this OP. There's no excuse for YOU to have let him act like Little Lord Fauntleroy due to the daily housekeeper. How rude of you. While you're at it, teach him how to do laundry and clean his bathroom. Future roommates will be thankful.

+1 I don't know about it being too late, but at least while he is living at home under your supervision, you still have time to parent.

Word of warning.. I have *always* taught my children to pick up after themselves, but the 11 yr old is till a slob. I find one sock everywhere (don't know why DC always takes just one off); candy wrappers in the drawers even though there is a trash bin in DC's room. Some kids are just more slobs than others, and it takes more effort to get them to clean up after themselves. But DC does most of the time take DC's own dirty dishes to the dishwasher. It will take a lot of training and reminders.

We have always called my kid "One Sock D---." Since he was a baby, he takes one sock off. Nice to know he isn't the only one. He also has ADHD so I think he probably gets distracted halfway through taking his socks off and forgets what he's doing.

PP here... HA!!! I call DD "one sock girl". She doesn't have ADHD. She's just a slob, and she says she doesn't know why she takes only one sock off. I *think* it's because taking at least one sock off cools her down enough. She's too lazy to take the other one off, I guess.

Someone on this forum asked if she was "creative" -- I've complained about her slobiness before. And indeed, she is artsy.