Do any other parents get the weeekend off?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I don’t mean like in a divorce situation, I mean that the kids are capable of handling the household without much parental involvement. See, I made a decision that my boys can care for themselves when they reach adulthood, so in addtition to having chores, I and my wife have taught them to cook.

The 13 year can make anything I can, including pancakes from scratch, and I’m a very good cook. The 11 year old can make chicken, pizza and spaghetti as well as tacos and burritoes. The 9 y/o is short for his age so we haven’t taught him yyet, but he can order out or heat things up in the microwave. Consequently the wife and I don’t have to cook on Friday and Saturday, and if we’re feeling really lazy Chris the 9 year old can order out.
It’s really cool, they pick what they want to make. I only have to get involved if they need ingredients not in the house, and even then I only have to get out my wallet as there is a Supermarket across the street. By the way I’ve also taught them to comparison shop. That doesn’t always work out so well, as once Jock bought something back that claimed to be cheese, but was more like plastic. But thems the breaks.

2

Yep, sure do.

My boys are 17 and 13. They take care of themselves pretty much.

We cook during the week, and I do cook on the weekends, because it’s when I can really play while cooking and experiment, but they are always right there with me, it’s like I have 4 extra hands, chopping, grabbing things (especially useful is my 17 y/o who is 6’1" or so, to get items from high shelves), mixing, stirring, whatever.

My hubby and I can even go down and spend a night in the city and know they are capable of keeping the place under control, and taking care of themselves.

Like you, I want my kids to be prepared for adulthood, they have chores o’ plenty. They each have Visa Buxx cards, so they can do their own clothes shopping, go get their hair cut, etc. (That I load, sparingly, with instructions on what to spend it on, the 17 y/o has been pinched a bit lately to get him motivated to find a job sooner.)

They have City bus passes and get themselves to and from school/friends’ houses/the mall/whatever/(hopefully a job soon for the 17 y/o.) They each have cell phones so I can get in touch with them wherever they are.

My 17 y/o obviously has more freedom than the 13 y/o, but he’s not too far behind.

It’s nice. I like going into their room and giving it a good scrubbing every now and then. It’s neat to see their little systems of organizing things, and the little momentos that mean something to them. “They’re little people, with their own things.” I don’t know why it tickles me so, but it does.

They’re pretty good boys, even if they are teenagers. :wink:

3

Stuffy, get your nine-year-old a stool! Short’s not an excuse. I was, and remain, incredibly short for my age (though at 28 it’s not like everybody’s still growing around me). I’m not much of a cook, but it’s not because I’m short.

When my brother was a baby, once he wasn’t nursing anymore, I’d get him up early on weekend mornings and feed him and stuff to let our mom sleep in a while longer. (Our dad was in Korea for the year. What wonderful timing. :rolleyes:) I was all of eight years old. So I guess she was getting time off on weekends even then!

4

I thought about that because I already have one (my wife is 5’1"), but it just seemed like a bad idea, I keep picturing him tipping it towards the stove. Not that its something I wouldn’t have done it yself when I was younger. :smiley: Now if had some sort of platform, that might work.

I left that in here to say, that just sounds adorable.

psycat90 Mine have bus passes too. This will also be the first year the 13 y/o does his own school shopping.

5

Well, maybe you could get one that’s extra-steady and sturdy made? Or make it yourself? I’ve never had a problem with the cheapie plastic ones from Wal-Mart or wherever tipping, even when I was nine myself, btw.

And if your wife is 5’1", I’m surprised you don’t already have several around the house! :slight_smile:

6

Oh, and my brother was one damn cute baby. We had lots of fun on those mornings. He adored me. Have times changed or what. :slight_smile: