Mom's Manifesto

Today I am fed up.  I spent the morning working while the kids sat around doing nothing and Tim slept.  I understand Tim's need to catch up on sleep since he get so little during the week but I must admit as his nap approached 3 hours I was getting miffed. I asked the kids to put the cushions back on the couch and the girls started whining-- last straw!  I blew up and yelled that I was going on strike-  The nice thing about my yelling was that Tim finally woke up....
While Tim dealt with the whining that accompanied him making the kids clean up their mess I sat and wrote my manifesto--

From now on I will be cooking meals for myself and Daddy and doing only our laundry.  I will not do any children’s laundry or cook their meals unless the following conditions are met

1-     All laundry must be sorted into the proper colors in the laundry hamper in the bathroom or in the bedroom.  Any laundry that is on the floor will not get washed.

2-     I will wash bunnies and blankies every other week even if they are not in the hamper.  If they don’t get washed and are deemed too dirty by Mommy, they will be confiscated until the next regular laundry day.

3-     I will not cook meals for any child unless their messes are picked up throughout the house.  The family room, living room, and kitchen floor must be free of toys and all cushions must be on the couch.  Any child that does not participate in the clean up will be provided bread and peanut butter to make themselves a sandwich.  Once the rest of the family has started eating the opportunity for that meal has been lost. No other foods will be consumed for that meal or until their messes are picked up.  -- NO EXCEPTIONS!!!  

4-     The upstairs bathroom is to be used by mom and dad only (except at bedtime.)  The downstairs bathroom is for child use.  The floor should remain free of clutter and the sink should be wiped down at least once a day.  The toilet must be cleaned on Monday by Alix, Thursday by Miriam, and Saturday by Bethany.   Anyone that does not take their turn will be fined  $.50 for Mom’s labor.  This will be taken from piggy banks or deducted from weekly allowance

5-     Anyone using inappropriate words will get their mouth washed out with soap and be fined $.25   Inappropriate words include poop, poopy, jerk, meanie, stupid, and sticking tongue out at parents.

6-     NO friends will be invited over  unless the family room and kitchen floor are clean.  If they are messy and you ask to invite a friend over the automatic answer will be no.  If you whine about it you will be fined $.50 for the cost of headache medicine. 

7-     Alphabet Summer activities will be carried out when the house is clean.  If you want to do something fun, clean up your messes first.

8-     There will be NO MORE than 1 hour of TV.  If the family room is messy, the TV stays off.  If you whine about it, you will be fined $.50 for headache medicine.

I reserve the right to change these rules as I find necessary.  I will let you know off changes in advance.

The faster you figure it out, the more fun we will have and the happier we will all be.  I love you all and I love being your mom, but I am not teaching you good things in allowing you to completely take advantage of me.  The lesson changes NOW.

Love, Mom