
I have four children and I've stopped asking them to do chores. I've also stopped expecting my husband to help around the house.
The atmosphere of our house has completely changed for the better.
I'm happier.
I'm calmer.
I didn't hire a cleaner.
Watch: Be a good mum. Post continues after video.
At our place, there's also an inside dog and two cats on complicated raw food diets.
Add a farming husband who eats all of his meals at home, living rurally where we are too far away to get UberEats or takeaways to the mix and you get an idea of just the dishes created.
Six people also make a shit ton of dirty socks and unmade beds and smeary fingerprints on windows and benchtops too.
Sometimes it can feel like the sheer amount of stuff that needs to be cleaned and washed and organised is insurmountable.
Like the cups and spoons and plates are raving all night by the light of the microwave and spawning piles of illegitimate kitchenware offspring.
Read more: "I asked my husband to take on the mental load of feeding his dog. Here’s how it’s going."
But lately, I've stopped asking anyone to do dishes, fold the laundry or sort the recycling and I'm happier than ever.
In the past I've tried everything to get my family to share the load... sticker charts, laminated job pie charts.
I tried paying my children to help. Conned them with enamel eroding sweets. I've cried, sworn, and slammed dishes angrily in the sink after dinner.
In pure frustration, I've left the breakfast dishes to calcify all day on the table and to 'teach them a lesson'.
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