Good Help is Hard to Find

I know the problem is universal, but it still frustrates me....teenagers who stay up half the night, sleep half the day, and are virtually no help around the house. When Joe is home from college, and the boys and I are all home during the day, the amount of dishes and laundry that that we go through is unbelievable. I feel like all I've done since school got out is load and unload the washer and dishwasher.

Over the years, I've tried a lot of different ways to get my kids to help around the house. Making lists, setting deadlines, giving reminders, and then making a few threats- none of these have proven to be very effective. Getting my kids to participate in the daily housework routine leaves me feeling like some sort of parole officer. Anytime Sam is asked to do a job, he always happens to be in the middle of his all-time favorite tv show (what a coincidence) and he promises to do it the minute the show is over. The problem with Disney and other cable networks he watches is the way they show marathons of the same tv show. It's nearly impossible to tell when one episode ends and the next one begins.

Ben either has a serious memory problem and forgets everything I ask him to do, or he is ignoring me. (Bets anyone??)

The last time Joe emptied the dishwasher, I heard him laughing and confessing to Perry as he unloaded, "I don't remember where this stuff goes, so I just put it anywhere". I know what he's doing...purposely trying to frustrate me by putting the measuring cups are in the cupboard with the plastic leftover containers. He's assuming that when the top to the crock pot can't be found because he put it next to the cookie sheets that I will just give up and quit asking him to help around the house.

It's early in the summer yet, so I'm going to keep insisting that they pitch in. They are members of this family, and they need to help with the dishes and laundry. I can persevere, that is, if I can find the filter basket for the coffee pot....