Weekly Flylady Thread 12th April 2010

Sunnygirl_2

The best way in my opinion is little and often. I have a 7 year old and I try to get her to do a 5 minute tidy in her bedroom every day. Bribes always help but they could be in the form of as another poster said lifts to places or personally I think that things like phones, ipods, games consoles and anything like that are priviledges, not a right so if they don't help they don't get access to these things. The home is a family home and it is the responsibility of all the family to look after it.

My 7 year old has vacuumed, polished, cleaned windows, generally tidied up, washed up, loaded the dishwasher, emptied the dishwasher, etc, etc. She doesn't do this every day (I'm not a slavedriver! LOL) but even if they don't do it properly at least they are making the effort. Even my 3 year old can move her shoes and help load/unload the washer, help clear and wipe the table. At 12 and 14 I'd just be wary of letting them use stong cleaning solutions and bleach.

Personally for a child I do find a list helps. If you send them into a room and tell them to clean and tidy they probably won't know where to start. If you make a short list that clearly states....pick up everything off the floor....tidy bookcase....wipe dressing table...make bed, then they can cross things off and and feel like they have completed jobs even if they don't manage to do everything.

I agree with the general consensus of once a week for bedding, when it needs it for the freezer and anywhere from once a week to 3 times a week for hoovering depending on how messy it gets. The lounge will probably need it a couple of times a week where the bedrooms will be more than ok with once a week.

As Penny Penguin says the flyladies aren't that bad. You don't need to do everything or even nearly everything on the list. Many people do one or two things a day and that's it.

Sorry its so long but HTH.

shandyclover

I have 13 and 15 yo daughters, along with a 18 and 19 yo that sometimes are at home. I'm not a lone parent but work from home and home school so have to stay very focused otherwise housework can take over!

The 2 younger girls have a set area they work on 1/2 hour a day. One cleans and tidies the kitchen, one the bathroom.They earn access to the internet by doing their chores, if the job is not done - no access to the internet until it is. They also have a rotating schedule for doing the washing up.Well, thats the theory anyway. I tidy and clean the whole house with the livingroom and hallways being the priority, I also do the washing though I will only wash what is in the laundry basket and I refuse to do more than a load a day. I try and fit that in to 1/2 an hour so I have the rest of the day to teach and work. I have a list of chores for myself and though I never fit them all in I rotate them so it's done over the course of the week.

Saturday morning we all work together on a united chore (ie. windows etc.) and dad gets involved too, we try and chose somethign outdoors if the weather is good. This can actually make for some fun times. If we pull this off sucessfully we will watch a movie together and dad makes popcorn once job is done.

Now and again when the girls are getting a bit lazy leaving their stuff all over the place I will give them a 10 min warning then pick up anything left lying around. This goes into Mum's confiscation bag and to redeem it they have to do a 10 min job. The main thing is to teach them not to leave their personal possesions all over the place and to pick up after themselves.

We are all at home everyday and have 2 cats, so I can imagine we have alot more damage control! As others suggested though - focus on a quick clean of bathroom and kitchen for your health sake, then the livingroom - I always feel better when I have at least one area of the house clean and tidy.

I second what others said about showing your kids Kim and Aggies programmes. Their bedroom was getting a bit manky, I showed them the shows and they were aghast and I didn't have to nag anymore on the importance of doing a little everyday.

Sunnygirl_2

Like that story Toots. Had similar happen to me in the chemist. A different phamacist than usual was there and when I went for a presciption for thrush cream she asked me in the middle of the packed, very unprivate chemist where it was for!!! :eek::eek::eek:

Procrastinator....sorry to hear about DH...hope he founds something soon. See you on 1st May!!

Penny...I have answered too!

Just about to proof read my OU exam then get it sent off. Then I have the biggest mound of ironing you have ever seen to tackle this afternoon.

gunsandbanjos

Welcome to MSE:T

We are not scary at all on Flylady, and please don't think all the flyladies are sitting about in immaculate houses:rotfl: My house is a lot better for having some structure to my cleaning though!

pigpen

Sunnygirl wrote: »

Like that story Toots. Had similar happen to me in the chemist. A different phamacist than usual was there and when I went for a presciption for thrush cream she asked me in the middle of the packed, very unprivate chemist where it was for!!! :eek::eek::eek:.

I'd have asked if she was offering to put it on for me lol

toottifrootti

If you have looked at the official American flylady site then I can understand how you would be put off but we are nothing like that - our weekly thread is one of the most supportive i have found - please come and try us for a couple of weeks and see how you progress - you are in need of some structure to your routines and I personally think our daily lists would help you loads.

whatever you do please remember you are not alone -there is always someone here to help and support.

all the best
toots

Valli

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Please read this thread - Single Dad needs the help of the Flyladies :j

See you all later, Penny. x

ooh
*runs to check*

Valli

DadOfTwo wrote: »

Please don't send me to flylady - I had a look there and was utterly baffled!

Thanks for your help.

I don't think he means US
I think he means the US site

Come and join us - we are ever so nice

Pigpens lists (and the support of Flyladies many of whom are mums with daughters and will be able to offer advice on all sorts is just what you need.
And good luck with it all.

hollyh

Afternoon all,

We've come in from the garden for a bit as we were getting a bit too hot. We'll go back out in a little while. Since my last post i have

Washed up lunch dishes
Put 2nd load of washing out
Fed fish
Planted basil seeds & lettuce leaf seeds
Sanded & painted towel holder again and it's still going to need at least another coat :cool:
Sanded & painted 1 side of shelf & brackets

gratefulforhelp_2

Come on over, dadoftwo. I have survived the flylady thread and I'm completely clueless about housework. You wouldn't be the only bloke, either.

Just don't get stressed about the housework, bringing up up the children is much more important.