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Ditty already posted this in the any other topicy thread but it deserves a wider audience (she may beat me up for it as may her son, but I try to live dangerously).  Ditty's daughter (Ickle) found this essay written by her little bro' when she was tidying his room. Please note. Whilst tidying his room! I think it is simply the best bit of teenage angst I've read since Adrian Mole! He was duly awarded an A* for it by his teacher I should add.  

 

"We were very proud a couple of weeks ago when our son (aged 14) told us he'd got an A* in his English Exam.

 

Today, my daughter thrust some papers at us and said "you have to read his English Exam essay..   the one he got an A* on"

 

Apparently they had to do some writing, starting with "Don't get me started on"

 

"Don't get me started on chores.  Just don't.  See, when I was younger, I was told that everything that happens to me has a reason and a purpose.  It was my parents that told me such lies and if you believe these then I have one word that disproves them: chores.  I've been forced to struggle through gruelling tasks day in, day out and I am sick of it.

 

I am talking about the uselessness of chores I don't mean in general, I mean specifically me doing them.  I am the youngest of my family, I live with three of them.  I fail to believe that every single day all of them are unable to do these things, yet somehow the job is still dumped onto me.  I'm short, weaker and far less patient than the rest of my family - therefore, it's done to a lower quality and takes over twice the time to complete.  Maybe I should talk about said chores in a little more detail:

 

We have a dishwasher, so I don't have to do the dishes (thank God).  However, each evening, after dinner, I try and make a quick getaway to my room to hear my Stepdad's booming voice project the word "Dishwasher" as I'm halfway up the stairs.  Unloading can be ok when the dishwashers half empty already and there are only plates, glasses & cutlery in there.  But the case is often that its bottom shelf is filled with saucepans, pets bowls and random metal tools that do God knows what.   So, I'd grab a saucepan from the dishwasher and open the saucepan cupboard to find lids, sieves and a collander on top of where I need to stack this heavy saucepan.   So by five minutes, I have finally got the cupboard clear and an arm that hurts like hell.


Our family's' dog food bowl is meant to be put in a cupboard where it simply does not fit.  So rather than do what my family do (stuff it in so that it falls out as soon as the cupboard door is opened) I always try to put it somewhere secure, and do you know what happens?  The plastic bowls all fall out.  Then the tupperware boxes.  Then the lids to these boxes.  And before you know it, the whole cupboard just empties itself all of the kitchen, making one hell of a noise.  Then just when I think It couldn't get any worse, I hear jeering and laughter coming from the lounge.  The whole kitchen is a train wreck, the dishwasher's still practically full and rather than helping me, they just laugh.  It take an absolute age to return the cupboard to how it was, so I just shove the dogs bowl in there.   Half of the things that get loaded I swear my parents have never used them.  When I ask what these obscure objects are and where to put them, my sister gets up, pushes me and literally swears at me, telling me that I'm lying and I do know where its to be put.  Then she just unloads the dishwasher and gets in a mood about it.  This stuff doesn just happen once in a blue moon - the comical sketch occurs on a regular basis.


I know that tidying my room is kind of cleaning up after myself and that I should do it, but its like one of those chinese finger traps - the more you pull the tighter it gets.   The more I tidy my room the messier it gets.  I'm being serious, its honestly like that.  I try, but then my Stepdad's eyes widen when he sees it.  Then eventually, the job is designated to my sister, who just puts things in stupid places.

 

At about 8 on a Sunday morning, once every couple of months, my Stepdad drags me out of bed & demands me to give him a hand washing the cars.   I can't even reach some parts of it and what I do wash my Stepdad points out that I've done it wrong and goes over it anyway!  Then he just sends me to do another chore, as a punishment, which brings me onto my next topic:

 

My parents are less than reasonable.   If I don't do one little job they strip me from my PS3, laptop, iPod, TV and everything else I own.   Just to point out, these things that they confiscate are MINE.   They steal from me because I don't clean up their mess.   That makes no sense whatsoever!  I try to reason with them, they get all angry at me!

 

Its just one of those things that I can'd do anything about, I have to just put up with it.  Its hard, laborious and difficult, and things that fit such a description don't fit well to lazy people like myself.  I just want to relax after a long day at school, but that's seemingly too much to ask for now. 

 

I have a deep, strong hatred for the endless cycle that eats away at my life.  I can't stand doing something again, and again, and again.  I can't even explain the extent my hate goes towards chores, it boils my blood to even mention its name.  Therfore I shall stop my ramblings now.  Good day.

 

 

 

Teachers comments:

 

Detail & depth, impact upon the reader 

Creative answer 

Punctuation used to add impact

 

10/10 + 9/10 = 19/20 = A*

 

 

 

 

Obviously we are wicked wicked parents...    don't you feel sorry for the poor little mite?  "

 

Desperately Ditty. It's a terrible tragedy. 

 

 

 

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I don't have any kids of my own Lee, but his brilliant tirade took me right back to my own teenage frustration with my parents! I do have, however, family and friends who have/are still dealing with this sort of vitriolic rebellion. I don't envy those who have to! Nevertheless, I suspect MasterDitty was perhaps being hugely and successfully ironic as his teacher's mark would suggest. I expect Ditty will put me right on that observation though. 

Xochi

 

* through the mouths of babes as they say*  

 

brilliant read I was  all the way through 

 

well done on your mark Master Ditty - thoroughly deserved 

 

 

 

my friends son did something similar a few years back - verbally not written - completely off the cuff during an Offsted assembly   I was a classroom assistant at the time and oh so wished it had been recorded .... oh poor me and my dreadful Mum would have made any social worker cringe 

MrsH

I laughed my socks off when I read this yesterday.

Poor, poor boy, being made to empty the dishwasher, and ocassionally wash the car.

Ditty and Mr Ditty should hang their heads in shame.

 

I know someone whose sons had to do chores to earn their pocket money.

They had to wash and dry the dishes, by hand! They also washed the cars and mowed the lawns. It's called teaching them life skills.

Yogi19
Originally Posted by Xochiquetzal:

 

My parents are less than reasonable.   If I don't do one little job they strip me from my PS3, laptop, iPod, TV and everything else I own.   Just to point out, these things that they confiscate are MINE.   They steal from me because I don't clean up their mess.   That makes no sense whatsoever!  I try to reason with them, they get all angry at me!

 

for this alone Ickkle, Ditty and Mr Dits should be hung, drawn and quartered - how dare you confiscate things that are his 

 

I think it's a very creative piece of writing - well done Master Ditty 

FM
Originally Posted by Yogi19:

 

 

I know someone whose sons had to do chores to earn their pocket money.

They had to wash and dry the dishes, by hand! They also washed the cars and mowed the lawns. It's called teaching them life skills.

kids today - they have it so easy and get paid for it - I had chores that were expected of me to do and I didn't get paid   where was childline then I ask you 

FM
Originally Posted by Pengy:
Originally Posted by Yogi19:

 

 

I know someone whose sons had to do chores to earn their pocket money.

They had to wash and dry the dishes, by hand! They also washed the cars and mowed the lawns. It's called teaching them life skills.

kids today - they have it so easy and get paid for it - I had chores that were expected of me to do and I didn't get paid   where was childline then I ask you 

Exactly Pengy. Kids today, they've got it so easy.

Yogi19

DON'T TELL HIM ABOUT CHILDLINE!!!  

 

 

Well...  his day today is not so tough, he woke about an hour ago, is currently skyping with his mates, MrD had to get up a bit early to go to the cashpoint cos the poor abused one asked us at 10pm last night if he could go into town with his friends to MacDonalds & then the cinema...  and could he have ÂĢ15.  No need to worry about bus fare cos his friends (reasonable) father would pick him up!

 

He'll be leaving this place of misery & drudgery shortly..   but if one of us could come & collect from his friends house - IN THE NEXT COUNTY at 7pm that would be acceptable 

Dirtyprettygirlthing
Originally Posted by Jenstar:

Lol would it not be easier to pick him up from town?

possibly, but MrD is working in the town in the opposite direction today, and I am seeing my Mum & possibly dropping her & my Dad off & picking them up from the Radiotherapy suite today...   

 

On the plus side....  his mates mother is going to feed him tea...  

 

that'll save us at least a tenner 

Dirtyprettygirlthing
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

 

 

He'll be leaving this place of misery & drudgery shortly..   but if one of us could come & collect from his friends house - IN THE NEXT COUNTY at 7pm that would be acceptable 

oh the memories - living  on the borders of 3 Counties I never knew where I was delivering to or collecting from next and very rare public transport I HAD to do it 

 

tis all good now - once they drive and you dont worry about them on the roads it is pay back time - I love the look on his face when I have arranged a lift and he picks me up pi**ed and the panic of me having to get in HIS car  .... 

MrsH
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

DON'T TELL HIM ABOUT CHILDLINE!!!  

 

 

Well...  his day today is not so tough, he woke about an hour ago, is currently skyping with his mates, MrD had to get up a bit early to go to the cashpoint cos the poor abused one asked us at 10pm last night if he could go into town with his friends to MacDonalds & then the cinema...  and could he have ÂĢ15.  No need to worry about bus fare cos his friends (reasonable) father would pick him up!

 

He'll be leaving this place of misery & drudgery shortly..   but if one of us could come & collect from his friends house - IN THE NEXT COUNTY at 7pm that would be acceptable 

but will his friend's parents want to let him go home to a house of drudgery? - I mean once he experiences how the other half live in the next county he might not want to come back home and they might have social workers and the like ready to pounce when you rock up in your car - he'll no doubt regale them of tales of how bad his life is  

FM
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

 

On the plus side....  his mates mother is going to feed him tea...  

 

that'll save us at least a tenner 

Does he eat constantly when not at school? Mine are doing my friggin head in already, they have 2 breakfasts (they say they are hobbits) and then less than an hour later they are asking for something else!!

 

They are in the garden munching biscuits as i type..............

 

Jen-Star

Pengy - all his mates live the life of luxury apparently.     All his mates can stay up til 3am talking & laughing loudly and keeping the whole house awake, all his mates have zillions of pounds pocket money, all his mates have iPhones & PSPs, all his mates have Mums who make gourmetlicious spreads of food the moment they walk in the house from school, all his have 4 family holidays a year etc etc

 

 

tbf - a lot of his mates live in houses twice the size of ours..   but I don't believe the rest of it 

Dirtyprettygirlthing
Originally Posted by Jenstar:
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

 

On the plus side....  his mates mother is going to feed him tea...  

 

that'll save us at least a tenner 

Does he eat constantly when not at school? Mine are doing my friggin head in already, they have 2 breakfasts (they say they are hobbits) and then less than an hour later they are asking for something else!!

 

They are in the garden munching biscuits as i type..............

 

They eat me out of house & home Jen..    seriously - its a nightmare!

 

Cold drinks - I can never keep up to the demand for them!

 

& foodwise -  I stock up on the 3 for a fiver pizza's from Tesco & on the microwave popcorn..   both these are good bottomless pit fillers!

 

woe betide offering them a piece of fruit though...   the hells of fury open beneath my feet if I do that 

Dirtyprettygirlthing
Originally Posted by MrsH:
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

 

 

He'll be leaving this place of misery & drudgery shortly..   but if one of us could come & collect from his friends house - IN THE NEXT COUNTY at 7pm that would be acceptable 

oh the memories - living  on the borders of 3 Counties I never knew where I was delivering to or collecting from next and very rare public transport I HAD to do it 

 

tis all good now - once they drive and you dont worry about them on the roads it is pay back time - I love the look on his face when I have arranged a lift and he picks me up pi**ed and the panic of me having to get in HIS car  .... 

yeah...  its living on the county border & the fact that Alf goes to school in the next county that causes a lot of the long distance ferrying around.

 

and yeah, there is often no public transport from our village in this county to some obscure village in the next county.

 

I don't mind this so much, its the price I paid when I decided not to send him to the local (rough as a bears arse) school

Dirtyprettygirlthing
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

Pengy - all his mates live the life of luxury apparently.     All his mates can stay up til 3am talking & laughing loudly and keeping the whole house awake, all his mates have zillions of pounds pocket money, all his mates have iPhones & PSPs, all his mates have Mums who make gourmetlicious spreads of food the moment they walk in the house from school, all his have 4 family holidays a year etc etc

 

 

tbf - a lot of his mates live in houses twice the size of ours..   but I don't believe the rest of it 

   you need to remind him of this when he's older - his wedding day if he gets married for instance or maybe his 21st birthday party 

 

I hope you've kept a copy for prosperity   you cruel wicked woman  

FM
Originally Posted by Pengy:
Originally Posted by Xochiquetzal:

 

My parents are less than reasonable.   If I don't do one little job they strip me from my PS3, laptop, iPod, TV and everything else I own.   Just to point out, these things that they confiscate are MINE.   They steal from me because I don't clean up their mess.   That makes no sense whatsoever!  I try to reason with them, they get all angry at me!

 

for this alone Ickkle, Ditty and Mr Dits should be hung, drawn and quartered - how dare you confiscate things that are his 

 

I think it's a very creative piece of writing - well done Master Ditty 

FM
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

DON'T TELL HIM ABOUT CHILDLINE!!!  

 

 

Well...  his day today is not so tough, he woke about an hour ago, is currently skyping with his mates, MrD had to get up a bit early to go to the cashpoint cos the poor abused one asked us at 10pm last night if he could go into town with his friends to MacDonalds & then the cinema...  and could he have ÂĢ15.  No need to worry about bus fare cos his friends (reasonable) father would pick him up!

 

He'll be leaving this place of misery & drudgery shortly..   but if one of us could come & collect from his friends house - IN THE NEXT COUNTY at 7pm that would be acceptable 

Reasonable request

FM
Originally Posted by KaffyBaffy:
Originally Posted by Pengy:
 

 

I think it's a very creative piece of writing - well done Master Ditty 

   Are you insinuating that Master Ditty is making any of that up?  

 

*puts phone down on social services...*

well funny you should mention that - I think it's all the troof   that Ditty is eebil, eebil I tells ya 

FM
Originally Posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

He's just rang to book his free taxi cab collection for 9pm 

 

He must have got no reply when he rang MrD's phone (there will be hell to pay for that later)...  (cos MrD is currently asleep on a sun lounger in the garden)... 

 

so he rang his sisters phone & barked "9pm" followed by an address 

 

make sure you're there at 8.59pm or we'll know 

FM

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