amma

I did the same thing to my kids... buy them back or out they went :wink: Having to give up their hard earned money wasn't easy, but it was a great lesson for them. My time is important and worth something too :D:D:D

Stay strong, ignore the whining... and reap the benefits as they start picking up after themselves... One DD was a little more stubborn and had to lose more than her siblings before she realized I really WAS serious LMBO But she ended up being the neatest of them all :D:D:D

texas granny

I agree with all of the above. My kids had to start young to do there laundry.
I was working 3 jobs at one point so I wasn't here to always do the laundry for them.
I felt they were better for it. I had a girl friend that did her girls clothes and when they went off to collage didn't know how to do there laundry or boil water.
Kids have it way to easy these days. They need to learn where the money comes from and its not on the tree or your hand. If the clothes get left on the floor they stay there until they pick them up and do the washing.
I liked the buying back Idea

KathyAire

I would think it would be effective either way.
My friend, Gena, gives her daughter, Joni, a list of things during summer (extra, in addition to her regular responsibilities) Gena wants done. She will have many different jobs paying Joni according to what is involved in the job. Joni can pick anything from the list. The jobs will be anywhere from $1.00 to $50.00. Joni has to complete the job to satisfaction before being paid. Gena said that Joni has never done a $50.00 job. I asked what would be a $50.00 job -- cleaning out the storm cellar. I guess something like that would be too overwhelming to a teenager. I told Gena that I would clean it out for $50.00.

GrammaNan

We lived in Southern New Mexico for one year and had a roach, scorpion, centipede and rattle snake problem. I can promise you that when you find any one of those in your pant leg because you left them on the floor, you learn to pick up your clothes real quick.!

Jan in VA

[quote=KathyAire............. I asked what would be a $50.00 job -- cleaning out the storm cellar. I guess something like that would be too overwhelming to a teenager. I told Gena that I would clean it out for $50.00.[/quote]

A TEXAS storm cellar?? In scorpion/tarantula/bugs-as-big-as-your-hand territory??? Smart teen. LOL! $500 wouldn't be enough for me, no way!! :roll:

Jan in VA (formerly a 30-year TX resident)

clem55

Scene: family room and game area downstairs. 40 inch landing, laundry room immediately to the left. Two sons entertained their friends downstairs, almost daily. I leave town for a week to visit famiy, come home to find hubby had sons throwing daily dirty clothes to bottom of steps. After s several weeks of me going down and putting dirty clothres in laundry area, I rebeled. I left the clothes where they tossed them, wondering how long before they got my message. The stack was about three feet high, the landing was covered completely , except for just enough room for them to place a foot. Then one of them told me I really needed to put the clothes in the laundry room!! Needless to say, after I @#$%^^&* for awhile, they got the message. Even hubby!! He was guilty too. LOL PS Both sons do all their own laundry, they cook and clean, and even iron. My DIL had it easy. I love this thread!!

Tink's Mom

My oldest son was dragged by his ear to the washer/dryer when he was 14. He had hit my last nerve by complaining that the shirt that he wanted to wear wasn't clean and ironed. He had worn it the morning before and it was still on the floor in his room. I didn't do any of his laundry from then on.
He got real mouthy to me, once when 17 and had a couple of friends over. I opened the window in his room, took out the screen and started dumping all his belongings into the yard. I told him if he didn't like the rules in this house to go find another.

tlrnhi

Stand your ground.
I would tell my girls they had until such and such a day to clean their rooms and the bathroom. If it wasn't cleaned by that day, in I went with the black trash bags. EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING that was on the floor or where it didn't belong went into the bag. Out it went...yes, I stored it where they couldn't find it for a while, but they did watch me toss it in the trash bin.
Needless to say, I never had to tell them again. All I had to do was walk thru the house with a black trash bag and those 2 would go diving for their rooms.
Courtney now, slips once in a while, but the black trash bag STILL works! She sees me headed to the hallway and up she jumps. lol
Sometimes I do it just to see how fast she can move, then I head to my room and chuckle .... yes, I'm a mean mom lol

Robinlee

ohhhhhhh.............I remember those days. My kids also learned fast. Black garbage bag and mom strikes again and boy did it work.

tdgiffin

I once drug the trash cans into the house and told my kids that that is how their rooms look.