tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3278302907767234817.post5934908736615846351..comments2023-10-10T12:16:27.746-04:00Comments on The Other Side of the Mountain: Taking out the Trash and other Kitchen TraumasH. Gillhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16866823621648796335noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3278302907767234817.post-88661866432960719842012-02-29T10:21:40.596-05:002012-02-29T10:21:40.596-05:00As you know, I'm the second oldest of four. I ...As you know, I'm the second oldest of four. I WISH we'd had that kind of cleaning/chore structure in our house, growing up. I was always expected to help clean the house, which I did, mostly to avoid the<br />wrath of my mother and also because my paternal grandmother lived with us during my teenage years and she was a cleaning addict. Woman couldn't start her day off without dusting something and since I<br />adored her (and she also taught me to sew, which I loved), I learned from her how to clean and not grumble (too much) while doing it. <br />My siblings, however, did absolutely NOTHING. My mother (who's always been a bit crazy) would throw open our bedroom doors (boys in one, girls in another) at 7 a.m. on Saturday mornings and screech at us to "Get up and clean the house, NOW!!!" Which, really meant: "Boys! I'm gonna yell at you one more time to get up out of bed even though you're gonna ignore me and keep right on sleeping and I'll let you do it! And you, Youngest Girl! I'll ignore the fact that all you'll do to "clean" is reorganize your dolls and their clothes in their little<br />basket! But you, Oldest Daughter! Yes, you! You'd better get your butt out of bed and clean the banister with a sock and spray, sweep and mop<br />the stairs, vacuum the house and the bathrooms had better sparkle when you're done!"<br /><br />Going away to college was a blessing in so many ways, LOL. I honestly wouldn't have minded the cleaning if we ALL had had to split the<br />responsibility.<br /><br />My siblings are still clueless in so many ways about anything to do with cleaning. My oldest brother didn't start to do his own laundry<br />til we shared an apartment in college and I taught him how.<br /><br />Our kids have chores that have to be completed every week so as to not have privileges<br />suspended, including their own laundry, putting away the dishes, sweeping the kitchen and dining room, vacuuming and taking care of their own rooms. My mother complains I'm too strict. And of course, she<br />claims she doesn't remember ever doing the described above. Pffft....Pamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13570111691860959014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3278302907767234817.post-1734558292599518852012-01-14T07:09:49.413-05:002012-01-14T07:09:49.413-05:00Great stories, Harriett.Great stories, Harriett.Glynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10802111972232088511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3278302907767234817.post-51446707029250781122012-01-13T21:24:58.019-05:002012-01-13T21:24:58.019-05:00I think we would have made good friends growing up...I think we would have made good friends growing up. Memories of childhood sound so much alike. Now what I hated was hanging out clothes to dry in the winter. Our hands would be so cold, they hurt!<br /><br />And I was so afraid of my arms hanging off the bed. No telling what would crawl up my arm!!!tawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15007531515847872914noreply@blogger.com