WTF

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-04-2007
WTF
6
Mon, 11-24-2008 - 8:28am

I’m asking the people on this board that have blended families. Is it my responsibility to clean up after older teenagers? My wife crapped on me because she came home from doing a night shift and the kitchen was a mess. It was their chore but because she had energy when she got home and didn’t want to wake up to it, she ended up doing it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2008
In reply to: my_privacy
Mon, 11-24-2008 - 10:11am
It wasn't your responsibility to clean up after them - but I think you should have gotten on their case for not doing it so they could have had it done before Mom came home and had to do it herself.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-2004
In reply to: my_privacy
Mon, 11-24-2008 - 12:09pm

We have an EXTREME blended family. 9 kids and 6 ex's. The 5 oldest kids are 12, 15,15,16,16. So messy, lazy teens something we deal with often(other 4 kids are 5,6,6 and 7 so whole other mess!). First are you sure you are in dog house and she just wasn't venting about kids? I know sometimes my SO thinks I am mad at HIM when I am just venting out loud about kids. That is assuming you mean you are in dog house with mom. If with kids, tough on them. They should have done their chores. Sounds like though that you and mom need have a talk about your levels of authority with the kids and your expectations of each other in regards to parenting your children. Did she expect YOU to make sure

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2007
In reply to: my_privacy
Mon, 11-24-2008 - 3:39pm
My_privacy, no it's not your job to do the kid's chores. However, as the supervising parent, it IS your job to make sure that the kids do as they are supposed to.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-30-2005
In reply to: my_privacy
Tue, 11-25-2008 - 12:29pm

Welcome to the board my_privacy,

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2007
In reply to: my_privacy
Tue, 11-25-2008 - 3:07pm

>>Of course, the fact that she cleaned up them only reforces to them that they can get away with not doing their chores. <<

Hadn't thought of it from this angle, but you're spot on.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-2004
In reply to: my_privacy
Tue, 11-25-2008 - 3:21pm
Yes but OP also part of that too if he was responsible adult and knew they supposed to do and did/said nothing. I don't think there is any disagreement that kids got away with not doing their chores. Both parents let them slide on that...OP be very careful if you choose point her part out. Will sound like you are just attacking her to defend/justify your part in kids getting out of dishes. Maybe best way is to say "We each let kids slide, me by _______ and you by doing dishes for them...." Make sure point is discussing best way to parent kids....not point fingers or blame...