I know I'm going to catch some heat for this, but I'm going to put it out there anyway. According to the article, the mom is a "stay at home mom." Now I'm not going to say what her job or her duties are, but I am going to ask for someone to define the exact role of a stay at home mom, if not keeping the house and kids and family in order?
My mom stayed home (so did my dad, actually -- he retired pretty young). My job (and my brothers') was to go to school, get good grades, be part of the community (sports, church, girl scouts), play with my friends, and help out around the house as needed. We did not have specific chores but were expected to keep our rooms clean (I failed), to help mom make dinner, to set the table, and to do random other things as needed. Homework came before everything, so having a project to do would mean you didn't really have to set the table or anything like that. My parents always helped with our homework (to an extent way beyond the call of duty). They also made things pretty fun for us. One brother hated to cook. He helped mom in the garden a lot more, and my other brother and I helped with dinner. My mom always did all the laundry and always loaded the dishwasher. If we came home and found a full, clean dishwasher, we'd empty it, but only to be nice, not because we felt we had to. Maybe my parents were just easy on us and lucky that we didn't come out bratty. But if this woman has no obligations outside the home, I'm wondering why she divides up all the household chores among her 2 kids (not 6, which would probably require a lot of pitching in), instead of doing the bulk of it herself? If your a kid, your job is to get good grades and to be a kid. Parents are supposed to make that possible.
Am I way off base here or what?
(and no, I don't have any kids)
that covers a lot for me and my spouse ... as they get closer to being graduated from school, they'll learn to make fairly simple meals, learn to separate whites from colors and do the laundry and get jobs so they can pay for their car insurances
No, you aree not way off base. We had chores too. Setting the table, clearing the table, washing dishes while one of us dried and after all that was done one of us swept the floor and we even knew how to use the dustpan. Imagine that!!! Our kids had to do the same. dishes, make their beds, take out the trash, set the table, pick up the dog doo from the yard, cut the grass and any number of other things. They got it done, did their homework and still had time to play with their friends.
Our parents loved us but they didn't talk to us like we were their "buds." We had "buds" in school who would tell you what you wanted to hear. No, we had parents who CARED about us and when they said no, we could not go somewhere or do something, that was that. We did not climb out windows at midnight or talk back to them. We worked in the summer months too. Everyone had jobs. Why in the world wouldn't anyone want to help out? We had one black and white TV and that was it. Rabbit ears and snowy picture. But we wren't in front of it 24 hours a day.
We rode bikes, skated, read comic books, met the kids at the plaground or on the beach (we lived at the shore) and walked the boardwalk. Yes, even in the winter we went to the beach and boardwalk. Was fun. Played games and it was cold but...still fun. We were home for dinner and it was always a nice, hot meal cooked by our mom who usually got dinner started in the early afternoon. That was mom's job. The house, the meals and those kinds of things.
Dad's job was to go out and make the living which he did in cold and hot weather, rain or shine plus he worked an extra job. Our job like you said was school, homework, doing what we were supposed to do and helping out at home.
Good Lord, it's the right way for a family to be. Parents are not there to be maids and butlers for their kids. Kids are not there to be waited on, demand this and that. They are all there together to be a loving family and it's about time we go back to that kind of thing. Without the family there is no glue. We're seeing that right now in this country. Kids have everything they want and they EXPECT it. Christmas was the biggest event of the year celebrated with a big meal, tree, presents and church to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Today just go into any store and keep your ears open. Especially before and after Christmas. Kids are begging their parents for this or that. Man, we couldn't wait for Christmas and what did we get anyway? Dolls, baking dishes, silverware, ironing boards, etc. My brother got trains, trucks, erector set, etc. My sisters got bikes one year and were thrilled to death. The rest of the day we were home with our parents, playing with our toys while smelling the good aromas from the kitchen.
It's not the kids fault they act the way they do. It's the fault of society who has put it into the heads of parents that they can't raise their voice to discipline their children. Same in schools. Who in the heck is in charge? No kids should be in charge. They dont' have the experience nor the maturity. That's where the parents, teachers, etc are SUPPOSED to come in. Just go to a school and see how the kids are dressed and how they act.
OK..I'm off my soap box. Seems awfully simple to me but then again, who am I? God bless our families and our country. We sure need it as it seems wer are going further downhill with parents trying to act like their teenagers and never being home. Not all but...more than should be. Parents: Grow up. You are the parent not the child. Teach your children and do it early so they can know the rights and wrongs in this life. Then if anything goes wrong you can at least say in your heart of hearts that you tried. No child is perfect. some will get in trouble no matter what but for God's sakes...let's give them a fighting chance before those little ones step their feet out the door on that first day of school. They are here and need the basics before they go out there. Save the children.