Yes, I am a mean mommy. I make my kids clean up their toys before dinner (or at least I try). I make my kids eat food they don’t like. I’m SO mean!!!!
I just don’t want my kids to grow up to be lazy bums that never have to do anything because ‘mommy did it all for them’ growing up. I just WISH I knew the secret to getting them to help out more. I have tried being nice, I have tried making the job fun, I have tried giving treats for cooperative behaviour, I have tried yelling and screaming, and recently I have tried playing ‘cleaning music’ during clean up time. That way they could dance as they clean or sing the working songs (and there is a time limit to clean-up time). So far both positive and negative motivation are just NOT working, and I am getting frustrated. With only 7-9 weeks left of this pregnancy, and Kyle working the two jobs and so is never home, I get worn out really fast. I physically cannot do everything for everyone. It’s just not possible. My kids are old enough to be responsible for certain things. But obviously they don’t think so. Ergh! I just don’t know what to do anymore.
Hang in there, it takes a long time to get kids into a groove. After Julia was born I felt like I was going to loose my mind and I knew that I needed help from the kids if the house was ever going to be semi clean and I too knew it was good for them. So after many charts, stickers, and even money it just came down to each child have one chore a day (except Sunday) and they HAD to do it, no if’s or but’s about it! I have my kids do their chores in the morning before school. If they don’t get them done in the morning they have to do it first thing after school and they don’t get to play until it’s done. They have learned on their own that it’s much better and easier to get things done in the morning. I still have to gently encourage them and they still complain sometimes but it’s better than it use to be.