Shari--
Just a thought....
My family (me included) used to be a lot more "lax" about housework. Not maggots in the kitchen lax - but not cleaning up the dishes after eating, stuff like that.
Finally, I had enough. The family took a few tours of historic buildings in the area....and when we got home I sat the kids down and had a talk with them. (Yes, I started with the children.) I asked them if they noticed what was different about those houses verses our house. Well - it was HUGE. It looked fancy....and....well....CLEAN! I told them that from now on - we are going to treat our own house like one of those fancy places - like a castle.
And that became the command "OK kids, time to castle the house!" No television until we had cleaned up after our meal. No playing until things were neat and tidy.
I got the children on board first.
THEN I worked on husband.
At first, he was aggravated that I was making such a big deal about cleaning....
but it's hard to act like a jerk when the kids are saying "Daddy - no tv until we're done castle-ing!"
So these days, we do try to clean things up as a team....more or less.
I wonder if something like that would work in your house?
Just a thought....
My family (me included) used to be a lot more "lax" about housework. Not maggots in the kitchen lax - but not cleaning up the dishes after eating, stuff like that.
Finally, I had enough. The family took a few tours of historic buildings in the area....and when we got home I sat the kids down and had a talk with them. (Yes, I started with the children.) I asked them if they noticed what was different about those houses verses our house. Well - it was HUGE. It looked fancy....and....well....CLEAN! I told them that from now on - we are going to treat our own house like one of those fancy places - like a castle.
And that became the command "OK kids, time to castle the house!" No television until we had cleaned up after our meal. No playing until things were neat and tidy.
I got the children on board first.
THEN I worked on husband.
At first, he was aggravated that I was making such a big deal about cleaning....
but it's hard to act like a jerk when the kids are saying "Daddy - no tv until we're done castle-ing!"
So these days, we do try to clean things up as a team....more or less.
I wonder if something like that would work in your house?