[Tyrone Finkelmey...]

My big girls have been complaining that they do more washing dishes than DH and I do. Really the kids do very little around here, and I would like the older two especially to start doing more.
Do you think it's fair for the children in the family to do most/all of the washing up - assuming they're old enough for the chore obviously, and assuming the parents do plenty of other housework and all the shopping/ cooking?

[bakesgirls]

I think it's fine. Mine do all the washing up as well as a few other chores.

In the grand scheme of things that need to be done, they do very little.

[BadCat]

Of course it's fair.

[Guest_Buy Me A Pony !_*]

Of course! And I'm inclined to dish out punishments for excessive whinging They'd get zero response WRT the smart alek comments about having to do more but if they kept it up I'd let loose. I'm a hard task master.

[Guest_Hoggle_*]

I'm sure you still do a whole lot more than they do so yes I think it is fair. They get al their meals cooked for them, it doesn't hurt for them to help clean up.

[**Xena**]

From 10 onwards my sister and I did all the washing up. We also often had to help out with putting clothes on and off the line and folding them.

I don't think there's anything wrong with getting kids to help out!

[SplashingRainbow...]

I think it is unfair to let them out of household chores.

I know a disturbing number of adults in their 20s who do not have basic cooking and housekeeping skills. Pitching in and learning how to run a household are basic and necessary life skills. You really are doing them a flavour.

[Baggy]

Yes its fair.

Although I didn't think so when I was younger

[prettypenny]

Definitely, we (my siblings and I) always did the dishes after dinner. TBH I don't we did much else though

My DH and his sister never did dishes growing up. I basically had to retrain my DH before marrying him. His sister at 39 has still not mastered the art of cleaning up. She is however more than adept at making more dishes. Wish I knew this BEFORE we went on a holiday with her! But I digress.

OP to my knowledge no child as ever died from doing the washing up.

[WaffleGrrrl]

Family project - get them to list all the household chores they do and you list everything you do - then compare lists and ask them if they want the list split up more evenly?