How much do your kids help you clean?

dinner set for kids image

NYCmommy

what chores do they do?

here is what my kids do:
10 year old boy- takes out trash every day, keeps room clean, helps watch over baby while i'm busy
8 year old girls-help w/ dinner, set table, keeps room clean
6 year old boy-helps mommy fold laundry (the best he can haha), feed fish, keep room clean
3 year old boy-just kinda is my little helper
6 month old girl-nothing

is this too much or too little?

Answer
My kids have to empty dishwasher (expect for the pots and pans, they don't go in a place that is safe for my kids to reach), they have to empty the liter boxes, pick up dog poop in the yard, clean the bird and hermit crabs cages, clean the bathroom, clean their bedroom, sweep/mop/vacuum, pick up their toys. They don't have to do these chores daily or even weekly, everyone in the family has a turn to do them. I don't have any harsh chemicals to clean with in my house so it's completely safe for them to clean whatever I'm cleaning, and I'm not about to be the only one that cleans the bathroom.

How do I set up tables for dinner party?

Maya

About 20-30 adults and 20 kids.

What i have seen at other parties is there is a separate kids table and the kids eat first and then the adults eat later.

I only have one table. WHat should I do? Bring the patio table inside and set up as kids?

Answer
A table for 40 people? Wow, that table is very big, huh! You have to set the table to ensure a certain space between a guest and another and also space to serve the food. You definitely need to set up the patio table for children, so they can entertain themselves. Children tend to be bored at adult tables. But you want to know how to set up the table, it's simple, the order of plates and cutlery follows the order in which the dishes are served, from outside to inside:
Sousplat to support the other plates (main dish plate and salad plate on top). On the right, only knives and spoons; on the left, the forks. Above the plates are the cutlery dessert (spoon on top, fork in the middle and knife at the bottom). All cutlery's blades pointing to the center of the plate. If you will serve bread, a plate with a bread knife on are placed on the left side above the forks.
Cups/glass should be aligned diagonally (right side, above the knives) and in a descending order: water (the biggest glass and which is already served), sparkling wine (a little behind the row of cups), red wine, white wine (the smallest). The napkins (cloth, always!) must be folded and located on the plates. If you don't know any folding, use napkin rings which are easier to use without losing elegance. If the napkins are too big for the plates, place them to the left of the forks. Here's an example of how it should look: http://www.dibrescia.com.br/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Etiqueta-Como-arrumar-a-mesa.jpg
About children eating first - I'm assuming this dinner is more casual style since children should never be invited to a formal party - well, that depends on the age of children. Children of 5 year old and up, can wait the dinner and eat at the same time as adults, without any harm.

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How do you decide what classes your kids should take when they are young?

dinner set for kids image

rehearsalj

Some parents enroll their kids in gymnastics, dance, art, baseball. How do you deicide which one you want your child to try? Do you focus on one or try a few and see which one the child likes best, letting them drop out if they don't like it. Do you wait to sign them up for anything at all until they are old enough to ask? What age do you think they should start having these activities? Any personal experience from Moms about what activities your kids do and when they started would be great! Thank you!

Answer
My kids are 5 and 3 and are only enrolled in swimming lessons, because I think that is an important life skill that they need to know. We have also been to Mommy and Me exercise classes (for me, not them), and we regularly go to a government funded "play place" where they can do anything from arts and crafts to reading books to playing with sand and water and doing music and songs. We also visit the library every week where they have story time, do crafts, and they pick out books to bring home.

Other than that, I will wait until they *ask* for some activity, which they have not.

Its great having your kids involved in sports or what have you, but the commitment is often too much, especially for the younger set. My neighbours boys are in soccer and they have actually on occasion asked ME to shuttle them (2 boys in 2 different age groups on two different teams) because they both work and have a third child to take care of and sometimes they can't swing the practice/game times. Uh...........I'm not a taxi driver. If you can't handle it, don't call me because I'm a stay-at-home-mom and therefore, in your mind, I must have all the time in the world to shuttle your kids to soccer games. Don't put your kids in sports if you can't get them there. They often complain about the stressful "soccer days" - having to pick them up from school, get them home with something decent to eat before their 5:30 pm soccer practice, then pick them up at 6:30 pm, get them home (about a 20 min. drive) and get them a snack, get the homework done and get them to have a bath and to bed on time.

Personally, I don't think that much stress is needed in our lives. A class here and there on weekends is fine. We leave weeknights for homework and free play.

Summertime is different - they need *something* to do for those couple of months. My oldest now wants to do soccer and dance, so I'll see how the summer programs go. She's in school now, so there's not much time during the week for much else than dinner, homework and bedtime routines. Saturdays we do swimming lessons and Sunday we go to the library.

My husband makes an interesting point: white kids are shuttled here and there from activity to activity while the Asian kids are home studying. Furthermore, its interesting that so many doctors at the hospital are always Indian or Asian. Go to any science-oriented university class and the white kids are in the minority. Hmmm............

What should my children wear to a black tie work dinner my family was invited to?

RubyFairy

Me, my children and I were all invited to a black tie dinner at my work. I know what me and my husband are supposed to wear, but I don't know what would be appropriate for my children to wear. I have one twelve year old daughter, one ten year old son, one seven year old son, one five year old daughter, and three year old twins, one a boy and one a girl. Please help me, the dinner is in a week.

Answer
Arden, thank you for posting your question. I hope this response finds you enjoying your evening with your six! In this instance, you know small suits for the boys, little boy white shirt and bow tie for the 3 yr old. He won't keep his jacket on. If the seven year old can manage to keep his on, jacket and clip on tie. It's not necessary for the boys to have a tux. The girls should all have white tights and Very nice Easter dresses, solid colors are best, but if they must be patterned, no glitter or cut out black lace. Conservative cuts and lengths for the girls dresses. Tea length is easiest to manage. The boys can be in white shirts and khaki dress slacks. No jeans nor tennis shoes. Slip on loafers and socks that match the shoes.

Keep the clothes loose and simple, belts on the boy's trousers, except the three yr old. He'll be fussed when he must use the restroom. Keep some laundry wipes, because the kids will spill on their pretty clothes. Keep them handy! Tide makes a nice set.

Keep the clothes also fuss free, no unusual accountrement they will play with and pick at, like a buttoneirre or corsage or hair ornaments. Keep it simple, less muss.

Table manners will be the biggest worry. If the place setting is enormous, will you kids know what to do? Practicing fancy dinner night a few times will help. Also, you and hubby dividing the kids up on who cleans whom and who takes whom to the potty will ensure the evening goes well.

The girls, also have simple hairstyles, to keep from them feeling nervous.

Best of evenings to you!

Elizabeth

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