Maybe I broke my kids or we have a genetic disorder

I recently had a melt down that was set off by several factors. Full trash cans being passed by several times over the course of a day - or two. Dinner being eaten and then the eaters are just *poof* gone, like they were never there except for the dirty dishes. Asking someone to clean a bathroom, being told the bathroom had been cleaned and then seeing the bathroom and realizing that the definition of clean varies. Clothes that had been gathered, sorted, pockets emptied, washed, dried, sorted again dumped onto the floor when there is a perfectly good closet 2 feet away. The dumpers were sitting on their beds either playing video games or looking at individual screens or maybe both. Wiping pee drops off of toilet seats & dribbles on bathroom floors are just not my favorite tasks.

Before going any further, I admit that my clothes spent most of their time on the floor & my closet looks like a bomb went off in there most of the time. Maybe I'm battling an unknown genetic disorder that causes people to throw clean clothes on the floor and then rummage through them in order to find something thus mixing dirty and clean.

A couple of weeks ago, Tate and I sat down and made a chore chart for him. We picked some easy things that he can do (putting away his clothes is one of them. still waiting to see if he has the disorder). He hung his chart in his closet (the Harry Potter Closet that he hangs out in, not in his clothes closet) and we talked about their being some sort of monetary reward for when he checks off all of the boxes. He wants -you'll never guess- more legos. (The Danes are clearly brilliant.)

After the above-mentioned melt down, I made chore/expectation charts for each of the big kids. I had thought that maybe we had grown out of the need for chore charts. Having assigned nights for cleaning the kitchen often backfires when there is a sporting event or practice, church stuff starts early for some reason or there's an extra amount of homework. (at this point I could say something about the kids that that would never apply to because some kids seem to really not care but I won't because that seems mean)

Apparently, my liberal use of chore charts over many years has made it so my kids only react to a chart, a written list (usually in sharpie) or a screaming, frothing madwoman. They're broken & the only way to fix it is to post charts in their rooms and on the fridge. This also helps Dad know who should be doing what when. Guess we'll see how it works. I also said that I'm not gathering dirty clothes to wash, they need to bring them down to the laundry room Tuesday nights & Saturday mornings. It's Tuesday, right? Unless they did that while I put Tate to bed, I think tomorrow is going to be laundry free because I didn't remind anyone.

I may need hourly reminders tomorrow not to go around gathering the piles of dirty clothes that have been growing since Sunday. I'm not trying to be SuperMom. I just want to keep the screaming & frothing at bay and maybe make them so their college roommates and future spouses don't want to strangle them with their bare hands.

PS. There's not enough kids in that scene. I want credit where credit is due.