I don’t make my kids do chores. There, I said it.

[Anonymous]

As a middle aged adult with many friends I've known since childhood, knew their parents well, knew what rules were enforced in their homes, knew how they were raised, what chores they did --- I see NO correlation whatsoever now in their housekeeping habits in their own adult homes.

[Anonymous]

Well I have. Like others have said, my DH could have benefit from household chores as a child.

[Anonymous]

My grandparents were strict and made their 3 kids clean their large home themselves, without parental help once they reached a certain age. My mom and her brother resented the hell out of it and both have messy homes. My aunt is a neat nick.

[Anonymous]

I never did chores growing up. Honestly I didn't really know the word.

Now? I have a cleaning lady every 2 weeks, and I spot clean in between, do laundry, keep the house decluttered, pick up constantly after the kids, etc. Who cares? Not doing chores as a kid doesn't automatically result in some lack of discipline. I was getting home late at night after practice and then doing homework until the wee hours to earn a full ride in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody enjoys living with a person who can't cook, clean, and do their own laundry. Kids do not grow up to be responsible adults without having been trained as a young child. Too many irresponsible, untidy adults out there.

This actually isn't true.

[Anonymous]

My siblings and I were never asked to lift a finger around the house. My mom even cleaned my bedroom for me into my double-digit years. At a certain age I just began wanting to help her with the cooking and cleaning, etc. My siblings and I (all mid-to-late 30s) all keep very tidy homes, do our laundry, cook wholesome meals, are married to lovely spouses who are equal participants in the household duties. And when we're home for holidays, my mom never washes a dish because we bend over backward to alleviate the burden. I appreciate that my parents worked hard to let us be kids. I used to hate going over to friends houses and hear their parents harp on them to do their chores or x, y, z was going to be taken away or they couldn't go do something. Honestly, I don't mind cleaning, I love to cook and I wonder if its because it was never punitive in my home growing up. Different strokes for different folks, but I think it worked for my family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the post describes the chores your kids do. Doesn't really fit with your title. Chores are just another word for the work that needs to be done to clean up after the people in the house and to maintain a clean, reasonably tidy home.

Agreed.

Just because you don’t call them chores, make a dramatic to do about it when family isn’t around doesn’t mean your kids aren’t in fact doing chores.

+1 Are you a Virgo?