Smooth(ie) Sailing Ahead ... :-)

Last night I ended up in a "friendly discussion" (ha – that’s the politically correct way to put it) with my boys about cleaning up the dinner dishes daily.

It's kind of a long story but the "gist" of it is that that the boys are responsible for alternating kitchen clean-up "duty" on weeknights. They can clean together, they can split the nights - however they want to do it ... but when I cook a meal - they help by cleaning the kitchen after dinner.  Chuck and I do the dishes on the weekends.  EVERY member of the family takes their plate to the sink, rinses it off, puts it in the dishwasher, etc. -- so really -- all that's left are any pots/pans/preparation bowls, etc. Not a big deal - piece of cake, right??

However, lately I have had to remind them every week night to pitch in and help. Every night. So - last night I figured … enough. Forget this.


I waited one hour for them to get in there and clean ... I didn't say a word about it.  Then I went in and cleaned up the kitchen. At about 8:00 pm (like clock work) they were ready to "raid" the kitchen ... wanted to make some smoothies, etc. I said, "Excuse me ... what are you doing?" They told me they were going to make smoothies.

I said, "Sorry - the kitchen is closed for the evening."


"HUH? What??  Why???"


I told them that I was done reminding them to help.  They are "forgetting" to take their sheets off the bed on Saturdays to do that laundry (which they are responsible for), "forgetting" to clean their bathroom on a weekly basis and now ??  "forgetting" to do the dishes during the week night.  Hmmm??

If I am doing all the shopping/cooking/cleaning for meal preparation then once I'm done the kitchen will be closed for the night!   (Since they are notorious evening grazers - this might be the ticket to help "remind" them!)  ;-)


"Huh - you never said that before? You should TELL us first."

I said, "Tell you what? Tell you to clean the kitchen? Tell you to take your turns and help? Like you don't KNOW this?? It's been the rule for soooo long - and I keep having to remind you?  Don't think so -- I'm done with that."


They went into their little schpeal (humorous as it was!) about how they should've been told the "consequence" before I carry it out. Now - mind you - that's what I think most times too ... IF they don't know what's expected of them ahead of time. For this though I said - "Nope. That one won't work on me. You KNOW what is expected and I'm tired of reminding you. The consequence is what I doled out and next time it might be the same consequence - or it might be a different consequence in addition to this consequence. You won't know - (so you'd better hide those computers and tv remotes! ha) - because all you need to know is you have to do your part. If you don't - you'll find out what the consequence is when I decide what I'm dolin' out for that day!"


(Then - inside myself I said, "So there" - and imagined myself sticking my tongue out at both of them!  And I felt better.) 

And then -- I went to the kitchen and made a SMOOTHIE ... for ME!  (HA - just kidding!)