[blparent] The maid wants to go on strike!

[Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)]

        To put a more positive spin on this, maybe his mom enjoys waiting on him or maybe she's got some control issues and he's gotten yelled at for not doing things exactly as she would do them?

Not that you need to put up with this, but you may not know what went on or goes on when he's with his mom.
If he was living with me, I'd first tell him what I expect. Then if he ignored me, I'd make him feel the pain.  If dishes don't go where they need to, well, he must not care so he doesn't get a place set at the next meal because that requires clean dishes.  If his clothes are everywhere, well he must not need them clean.

Also, I'd probably have made Sarah a nonpizza lunch and explained to her that you're trying to train her silly stepbrother.  I say this because he's just figured out that if Sarah wants something you'll do it.  That's not technically fair to Sarah but it also isn't fair that you fee like the maid and all of you need to realize you live as a group.

If you just can't say no to pizza, can you get little pizzas, only big enough for one so Sarah can have hers and stepson can go without?


-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jo Elizabeth Pinto
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2012 5:12 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: [blparent] The maid wants to go on strike!

Hi.  Summer vacation is just beginning around here, and my stepson is living with us during the weeks and going home to his mom on the weekends.  It's a workable arrangement, except for one thing.  I think my stepson is used to his mom pretty much waiting on him.  Like today, he wanted a frozen pizza for lunch, but he made no move to get up and make it.  I finally did the job because Sarah wanted some too.  He doesn't put dishes in the dishwasher, or if he does, they're not rinsed first.  He doesn't see a problem with clothes all over the floor.  The maid wants to go on strike!

Any tips for how to deal with older kids?  Sarah's young enough that she pretty much does what I tell her, and she already knows she has to put dishes in the sink and clothes in the hamper.  But my stepson is driving me crazy, and I just don't have the energy to keep my house from getting to look like Hurricane Katrina has taken up residence.

Run ragged,
Jo Elizabeth

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."  Maya Angelou
_______________________________________________
blparent mailing list
blparent at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blparent:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, proprietary and/or prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the intended recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the Message; (b) permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard copies of the Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the Message is strictly prohibited.