[Graleyne]

and I don't care! I am so tired of my kids sitting around doing nothing and expecting me to do everything AND them to still get allowance, computer privileges, etc.

So as of today allowance, computer time, television, phone, all of it is cut off until I see quite a lot of improvement on the help I get around here.

I got up this morning feeling worse than ever (I think I now have a cold on top of the ear infection). They asked if I was cooking breakfast. Fine. I did because I thought maybe I'd feel better if I ate something too. Well, afterwards I asked my 13 yr old to clean up the kitchen and asked my 10 yr old to get the towels out of both bathrooms so I can wash them. You would have thought I was asking them for kidney the way they whined and complained and stomped off. That was the last straw for me.

I don't expect them to take care of the entire house, but they are old enough to do take on some chores. Lauren is more than old enough to wash dishes and Michel can absolutely gather dirty towels. Even Olivia, who is 4, can put away her own toys.

Lauren is in there washing the dishes but sobbing because I told her no phone. It isn't fair, she says. Well, it isn't fair for me to be sick and have to do everything while they sit around and make messes and for me to pay them anyway.

Michel informed me he was telling his dad. I saved him the trouble and called him on the phone and told him myself and DARED him to go against it.

There are going to be some changes around here. From now on allowance and privileges are going to be earned. I am making chore charts. They can either do what I ask - without throwing a fit, or they can not get allowance, etc. Its up to them.