Mums with cleaners

[Ruth_Baldock]

SB: Ironing?! You're well organised, I haven't ironed since the fifth form (kilt. icks a yicks, to quote S).

I don't have a cleaner, but I do say 'Seb! LOOK! Octonauts!' and give him a biscuit to nom when I want to update my blog/lurk in facebook. So sue me! (We will have a cleaner soon, god help him/her...)

I also spend a lot of time lying on the sofa. I am pregnant and getting 3 hrs sleep a night. It's only fair!

[littleEDfamily]

The biggest downside to having a cleaner for me is that she isn't full time. By some strange interference from the universe, my house messes itself up within hours of her leaving. Obviously nothing to do with me or any of my children.

I think (some) people have this misconception that people with cleaners swan around like lady muck in a perfectly kept house, but the reality is most people have one for only 2-3 hours a week or fortnight and that's the domestic equivilent of having a facial (your skin looks glowing for a short time and then reverts back to its previous neglected state - but you do feel good while it lasts).

[ryedalema]

My cleaner's coming this morning while I'm at work, then I'm off to my Weight Watchers meeting tonight and won't be back until about 9pm - so sadly the house will probably be mutilated before I even get to see it spic and span (sob!) x

[cuppa tea]

Moos Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> To be clear, my ranting isn't aimed at any

> particular poster and I think I might be preaching

> to the converted anyway.

>

> I'm just astonished that these questions are being

> asked in the 21st century.

>

> Sorry if this is a major sense of humour bypass

> and I need to take a Valium or something.

I don't think anyone needs to justify anything. To be honest I was pretty stunned by the original question!! You would think after all this time women have the right to choose what they want to do. Having or not having a cleaner is a financial discussion, not whether someone deserves on or not surely. Who really wants to clean??? I mean really, if you can afford a cleaner, of all the interesting things we could be doing rather than cleaning! And the question of whether SAHM's should/shouldn't put their kids in nursery doesn't even justify a discussion. As someone has said, it's not the 1950s! It's all financial. I can't afford a cleaner, so I don't do it. My little 4 year old goes to nursery 2 mornings a week, where I get the baby to sleep, sit down, take a breath, make a tea, eat a chocolate biscuit and possibly go online. If i didn't do this I would probably have a nervous breakdown instead. To experience the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week of childcare that I have done for 3 years straight is incredibly intense. Surely any mum, working or not, would realise that? Or is it perhaps that they don't value the stay-at-home job?

[Pickle]

Have to agree with you Moos, and will join you in that lie down if that's OK. I may as well - eldest child at school nursery, youngest at creche, and my cleaner is currently busy working her magic ;-)

[ClareC]

I'm with Moos and Pickle!

Cleaner arrives shortly, daughter at nursery, Mr ClareC and I about to head out for lunch with baby ClareC - almost a child free lunch! Ironing pile will be sorted by the ironing lady on Thursday....... Now where did I put that emery board!!

Seriously though, if I didn't have a cleaner, the house would never get a full clean! Believe me I do plenty of cleaning and tidying between professional cleans! With 2 under 17 mths, ironing doesn't get done! Once both children in bed I generally am ready for bed myself, and am up in the night twice for night feeds! Certainly not up for tackling a mountain of ironing! As for nursery, it's two afternoons a week which is great for all of us on so many levels! Yes im a SAHM and no I don't feel guilty for this help! It's a financial choice of what to spend your money on!

[Gubodge]

I don't work full time, but do work 5 days a week and have no child free time at home (this is bing posted on my way to pick up from school). The girls are 6 and 4 and the house is too bloody big. I have no cleaner, could afford one at a pinch, but it is in such a state that I'm sure any cleaner would run for the hills at their first visit. So until I have the opportunity to spend several days getting it in a fit state it'll carry on in its downward spiral.

Sob.

[Fuschia]

Hands up it was me who started the discussion, though it did originate from the SAHM thread. I'm not getting at anyone, honestly.. just thought it would make for a bit of lively discussion (which it has)

Though I must say it's immensely reassuring to know that virtually everybody I know who has a nice clean house also has a cleaner! I was beginning to worry it was just me who is not superwoman.

[sillywoman]

F, you're not alone. It's my dream to have a cleaner and I keep telling myself 'one day, one day' but it just hasn't come yet - I'm gradually starting to realise that maybe it never will. If you could see my house then you'd know that superwoman is just a cartoon character. It's very easy to compare yourself & what you can achieve in your home with those who are lucky enough to have the luxury of a cleaner/ ironer/ gardner/ whatever, but don't do it -it's a slippery old slope! It's also OK to raise 4 children who know they're well loved and have a not so shiny home for them to live in.

(Goes off muttering "it's also OK to raise 4 children etc.etc. . . . . ." ad infinitum.)

[cuppa tea]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hands up it was me who started the discussion,

> though it did originate from the SAHM thread. I'm

> not getting at anyone, honestly.. just thought it

> would make for a bit of lively discussion (which

> it has)

>

> Though I must say it's immensely reassuring to

> know that virtually everybody I know who has a

> nice clean house also has a cleaner! I was

> beginning to worry it was just me who is not

> superwoman.

I used to get really annoyed at the clean houses with small babies scenario! Then I realised they have cleaners and I'm still a bit annoyed....but it's pure envy! I should post photos of the relative squalid conditions (with no cleaner) that we live in at our house and I think you would all feel better!

[Fuschia]

I do have an ironer! But I am so rubbish at ironing it's a necessity

[cuppa tea]

ironing does have to be THE most pointless household job! I have never done it. When my son started nursery he asked what an iron was in the 'home corner', ha! Which doesn't bode well for his future girlfriends....

[Fuschia]

When I met MrF he kept all his shirts stuffed into a binbag in the bottom of his wardrobe and ironed one each morning, hence the ironing board was always up and served dual purpose as a sideboard

[sillywoman]

Once, when baby number 2 was teeny tiny (a few weeks or less) MrS got a lady to come in and 'help' for a couple of sessions. She asked me where the hoover was kept - I didn't know. Am still not sure whether that's my proudest moment or my most shameful moment? Blamed lack of knowledge on baby brain of course :)).