After reading Happymom's thread about wanting to go back to work...I decided to share this with you all....

Last Thursday night, I had a "party" (I sell homewares as a side business). On my way to the hostess' house I called the older kids and explained to them that they needed to get their laundry started because they would be with their father over the weekend and for a couple of days this week for school. When I got home around 9, my ds was watching TV, and I said "did you get your laundry started?" he says "oh I forgot", I say "Bryan, I called you three hours ago....ok, put your stuff in the laundry room and I will see what I can do tomorrow". He does so.....well, I got really caught up with my business and the baby and honestly it slipped my mind about doing his laundry, no big deal he can do it when he gets home from school. He comes home, I tell him to start his laundry, and that he needed to be packed up and ready to go by 6pm. After having to stay on him about getting things into the dryer and putting things in his suitcase....my ex-dh calls and says I am almost there....well, ds is no where near ready to go. I tell his father to go pick up Brooke (she was at a school dance) and then come back and get him. Well, my ds decides that it is all my fault that he is not ready, because I didn't do his laundry...so this is what he says to me...

"can I ask you a question without getting in trouble?" ok "what exactly is it that you do all day, because it seems like you don't do anything except watch TV, play on the computer, and feed the baby"

I was horrified, I didn't say one word to him....I just picked up the phone called his father and said ...listen to what YOUR son just said to me.

There is more...but I will leave it at this for now.....I won't tell you what I finally did say to him.

Where do kids get this idea??? That we are just supposed to do everything??

And he is really a good kid, I get compliments all the time about how well mannered he is. What went wrong???

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Stacey

“Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why. ~ Eddie Cantor

That is funny because my oldest dd...and not so dear sometimes... has said the same thing to me. I don't think they even have a clue about what it takes to run a home, work, care for kids, pay bills, cook dinner, clean the bathrooms, grocery shop...etc.....they just assume that it just happens...the cleaning fairy must live at your house too.

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Heather
Mom to three dd 14, ds 8, dd 5

My 20 yr old, unemployed bum of a daughter whose son I take care of, told me that all I have to do is take the kids to and from school and sit in the house all day!!!! I have no clue where they get these ideas. But she put a basket of laundry in the laundry room last time she was here, and let me tell you, it will still be sitting there next time she is here (which hopefully won't be for a long time!)

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~Happiness is a large family~

My kids are still young,the oldest being 8, and when they say that to me then they hit the bonus round. for one day they get to "work" side by side with me. and since i have help I always make sure I do a little extra. My kids don't say that to me anymore.
I think it would have a more profound effect on a teenager!
allgirls

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allgirls, mom to 3 girls

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time

I'll say to you just what I say to anyone who complains about their husband saying things like that - STOP DOING ANYTHING FOR THEM. Make them do EVERYTHING by themselves. Like your son - if he didn't do his laundry (which good for you for making him do it!), let him deal with the consequences.

My dd says the same things but in not as nice of words. She refuses to do anything around the house --she would never do her own laundry --she never puts stuff away --leaves cereal boxes sitting open, wrappers thrown on counters and says well you sit on your butt all say on the computer--you do it. I am so sick of her throwing her clothes in the floor walking on then then a month later crammping them all in the floor in front of the washer. I know its my own fault --Right. I try everything and it doesnt work she just won't listen. But DH thinks I do nothing also.