the definitive end of the childhood of Kendall's daughters

[latraviata]

thefatherknowsbest.com/2013/03/cleaning-is-family-affair.html

Another idea of Mr. Kendal, the 3 girls (8 and younger) should actively participate in the cleaning of the house. This is very important in the context of the training of skilled housewives they are meant to be and relieving Kendals enormous task as wife and mother.

Poor, poor girls.

[kpmom]

It's not even participating in cleaning, she expects them to clean "a lot".

Some chores? Sure, I agree with that. But when she talks about them cleaning "a lot", including cleaning toilets, I have an idea that the "future homemakers" will be soon taking over the running of the household. And none of them even pre-teens yet, not even close.

She goes from zero to 60 in a millisecond.

And what of their little prince? Since he's not a "future homemaker", will he have chores eventually too? Or is it only "your girls"?

[desertvixen]

My wonderful husband turned on a light bulb for me, figuratively that is. He asked a simple question that has changed the course of our home life forever! He asked, "why are you doing all the cleaning and not getting your girls, future homemakers, to help?" Ummm, I don't know, why aren't I??

If it's such a "family affair", what does her wonderful husband do?

Okay, cleaning one's own room (tidying up bed, putting laundry wherever dirty laundry needs to go) are reasonable. Young children should NOT be cleaning the bathroom, though.

ETA: also, many of us evil working moms involve our kids as part of the process you seem to be so in love with.

[emiliawasframed]

I agree that children should help with age-appropriate chores, but the framing of it within their roles as future homemakers is alarming. Both boys and girls should be taught cooking and cleaning skills so as to be self-sufficient adults.

[Slt]

thefatherknowsbest.com/2013/03/cleaning-is-family-affair.html

Another idea of Mr. Kendal, the 3 girls (8 and younger) should actively participate in the cleaning of the house. This is very important in the context of the training of skilled housewives they are meant to be and relieving Kendals enormous task as wife and mother.

Poor, poor girls.

At first, I was thinking this wouldn't be a harmful post. Every kid should learn how to clean (heck, my 15 month old boy tries to help me put clothes in the dryer, clean up spills on the floor and loves his duster)- I should have known better than to think it wouldn't be harmful though- this IS Kendall we are talking about.

Ugh. What a bitch! For such a normal looking lady, she is stuck in the dark ages. What a depressing childhood to be reminded that, NO, you can't be "whatever you want to be," you WILL be a helpmeet. Vomit.

So yes, I think every child should help out around the house. Clean their room, do their laundry as they get older (double digits) and help out as needed/requested by mom. But that is for a REASONABLE mom, and Kendall is far from reasonable. I hate that woman.

[latraviata]

I agree that children should help with age-appropriate chores, but the framing of it within their roles as future homemakers is alarming. Both boys and girls should be taught cooking and cleaning skills so as to be self-sufficient adults.

Exactly!

[AVENues]

If it's such a "family affair", what does her wonderful husband do?

Okay, cleaning one's own room (tidying up bed, putting laundry wherever dirty laundry needs to go) are reasonable. Young children should NOT be cleaning the bathroom, though.

Yes.

Children love to help out with EVERYTHING. They just like to do adult stuff and love being helpful. This is, at least, my experience with children. Even with the "lazy teens". I've never seen a lazy one. Teaching them bit by bit how to help around the house and how to take care of a household is okay. "Raising slaves" is not okay. The mere idea overshadows a dark and foggy future of mere slavery. Taking care of our household is important, at least to the extent of not living in dirt. My house is clean but I live in it, so I leave my phone, my cardigan, my books, my papers wherever the heck I please. But that is a sad, sad existence for those girls. I wonder if they were boys... :think: would their dad expect them to help them with anything around the house.

[gilora]

So she's got her 8 year-old daughter cleaning the toilet and changing diapers? What a lazy piece of shit.

[latraviata]

So she's got her 8 year-old daughter cleaning the toilet and changing diapers? What a lazy piece of shit.

She considers it 'important life skills'.

[gilora]

She considers it 'important life skills'.

Yeah, so important she can push it onto a second grader.

[snarkyjan]

So she's got her 8 year-old daughter cleaning the toilet and changing diapers? What a lazy piece of shit.

It's not like the child has a choice. She can either comply, or undergo another all-day training (spanking) session at the hands of herparents.

[Markie]

Those children never really had a childhood, anyway. Kendull and her husband took away Halloween and Christmas and any encouragement/preparation for post secondary education. They do not have friends outside of their siblings and are taught to mistrust, judge and fear others.

I am not against children being given age-appropriate chores to do. I teach 9-11 year olds and know that many have never had to tidy up any messes other than those at school. I would not expect a child to clean toilets, change diapers, mop floors, etc. They should be able to set a table, put dishes into the dishwasher and unload the dishwasher. Little kids can learn to put dirty clothes in the hamper and tidy up their rooms. They can also learn to make their beds. If there are pets a child can learn to feed and water the pets - I used to feed and water my pony by about age 7 ( hay flakes and water from the hose - I was too small to lug water or grain buckets).

Although I was expected to do some chores around home, it was not assumed that I was being groomed to be a future homemaker, I was just doing my part as helping out in completing household/farm chores which had to be done. Kendull's girls will just have jobs pile up on them. Wonder if the boy child will learn some household chores or will he be a prince to be waited upon? He might have to take on some "manly" chores like mowing lawns, garbage collection and feeding the dog...

[August]

If it's such a "family affair", what does her wonderful husband do?

Okay, cleaning one's own room (tidying up bed, putting laundry wherever dirty laundry needs to go) are reasonable. Young children should NOT be cleaning the bathroom, though.

ETA: also, many of us evil working moms involve our kids as part of the process you seem to be so in love with.

I have mine clean the bathroom (flushable wipes FTW!). They also mop the floor (spray mop). The difference is that all people in the household participate.

[MrsYoungie]

Are the tasks of toilet cleaning and diaper changing really so intellectually challenging that one must have 10 years experience before having a home and family of one's own?

I had never changed a diaper before I had Youngieson #1 - and yet somehow he survived my bumbling attempts before I mastered the task. I think it took about 3 changes before I was an expert.

Toilet cleaning? Here's a dirty toilet, here's some cleaner and a brush - work out with both until more dirt on brush than in toilet. Learning curve? Not really.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Kendal should get off her ass and do it herself, 8 is way too young to be doing that much cleaning.

Sure, they should be able to make their bed, put their toys away, set the table...but its a bit much to expect them to clean a lot, most of their time should be taken up with playing.

All children should be doing it, not just the girls, as keeping the house clean should be a team effort.

[kpmom]

This is off topic, but while we are talking about Kendall...I know she's mentioned trying to adopt (God forbid). Are they not able to expand their quiver the biological way, or are they attempting to adopt (God forbid, again) in addition to trying for another pregnancy? Anybody know?

They seem the "don't do anything to prevent pregnancy" types.

[crazyforkate]

So she's got her 8 year-old daughter cleaning the toilet and changing diapers? What a lazy piece of shit.

Okay, if she got the kid to clean the toilet every once in a while (I was responsible for my bathroom at 7) or if she wanted to help with the baby, that would be one thing. But if it's all the time, or most of the time? Gross.

[dairyfreelife]

Free Evie, Brinley and Kapri!

[curlykate]

Absolutely disgusting. There's no way an 8 year old child should be responsible for all of that cleaning. Age appropriate tidying and general cleaning? Yes. Being responsible for cleaning the whole house? No. This woman needs to get off herr lazy ass and do the work herself. Isn't that what she wanted? To me a homemaker? Stop pushing the work off on your children!

[Bbfamteam]

Absolutely disgusting. There's no way an 8 year old child should be responsible for all of that cleaning. Age appropriate tidying and general cleaning? Yes. Being responsible for cleaning the whole house? No. This woman needs to get off herr lazy ass and do the work herself. Isn't that what she wanted? To me a homemaker? Stop pushing the work off on your children!

I think that some of what we see is a reflection of genuine dissatisfaction with being a homemaker. Little girls in fundie households are "purposed" from day 1 to be trained to be homemakers and help meets for daddy until Prince Charming comes along to sweep them off their feet and allow them to start families of their own. When you start cleaning and childcare at 8 then by the time you are 20 you are probably burnt out and can't wait to have your own quiver so you can blog, breast feed and pop out the next blessing while your other arrows run the household. It's a vicious cycle. I imagine some of them dream of being something beyond a homemaker and a breeder. God forbid they ever mention it so they use the Internet as an escape. I don't believe for one minute that the rosy images that some of these women put online remotely reflect their internal thoughts and feelings or the actual workings of their homes. To gain followers who envy you and want to emulate you seem to me to be the only way some of them can validate their lifestyle and their underlying beliefs. The whole thing reminds me of some guy named Jesus who talked about Pharisees and their whitewashed tombs.

[guidedbybobafett]

Ugh, I blame Mr. Kendull too. Sounds like she expressed some honest feelings about her workload and instead of offering to help (which would basically make him a woman), he realized that having a whole household of women and girls catering to his needs would be delightful. They're both kind of gross. Nothing wrong with some kids cleaning, but honestly I wouldn't even let my kids do the kitchen or bathroom because a. Shades of Cinderella and b. I'd just have to do it all over again bc little kids just aren't that great at it.

[teachergirl]

This family disgusts me...if you want more "schedule" crazy, read Raising Olives. Find her post on cleaning/house/cooking. She has 10/11 children and the cleaning schedule STUNNED me. Throw in the fact that ( convienently) her children will never go to college as they do not believe in taking financial aid, and you have a house full of indentured servants with no hope of freedom. All of these fundies do this, Kendall is just late to the game.