Yes, I’ve raised a Little Buddha. How about you?

Forget Tiger Mothers. According to Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Assocation of Teachers and Lecturers, some parents are making their children into ‘Little Buddhas’ by waiting on them hand and foot.

Um, yes. Guilty.

When it comes to getting up for school and doing his homework, going out with his mates or buying things he wants, No 1 Son can pretty much do everything for himself.

But when it comes to making the connection between the washing machine and dirty laundry, washing up, tidying his room, putting aforementioned dirty laundry in the linen basket, making something for himself to eat, or basically doing any of the everyday household chores that he obviously think happen by magic, he just won’t. I don’t even think he knows how to turn the vaccum cleaner on, let alone use it.

Left to his own devices he’ll eat nothing but toast and wear the same clothes day in and day out. His blinds will never be drawn, the bed will never be made.

That’s not to suggest he doesn’t know boundaries – he does. And he’s doing brilliantly at school. But domestic chores? No chance.

I think it runs in the family, because Man of the House says his mum always moaned complained about him not doing any chores, either.

Still, it could be worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*How do you persuade your kids to do chores? I’d love to know.