Rude son!

Hollow laugh

Is he in the middle of A level exams? If so give him some slack until his exams are over.

Sod the itching powder!

He's not an infant, he's off to uni soon. Do him the courtesy of treating him like an adult. Sit down and discuss the house rules with him, give him the consequence of NOT doing his share and leave it.

Next time he walks away , remind him he's an adult and if he still ignores you carry out the consequence.

Revenge is ridiculous . It won't get the jobs done.

It needs to be calm and calculated and it needs to hurt him. Bought experience is th best experience as my Gran used to say.

How old is he? Does he pay anything towards the household? etc, etc,

Not healthy to live together out of 'need' rather than 'want' ...

Hear, Hear (*Jalima*)

If you don't feel like cooking for him, don't.
Buy yourself a ready meal
Wash your own clothes, leave his in a dirty heap.
If he grumbles, tell him it's a two-way thing - if he puts out the rubbish and does a few jobs around the place then you are happy to cook for him, wash his smelly socks, underpants etc.

A friend of mine did a similar thing in the early eighties, elegran. When her husband left his suit (he only had one, for formal occasions) in a heap on a chair, she just left it there. When he next needed it, it had gone mouldy in parts.

They are still married.

This lad needs an attitude adjustment.

Don't waste time nagging. Get a sheet of paper and rule a line down the centre. On one side list the things that you do to contribute to the running of your lives, on the other the things that he does.

Below that list the things that you find painful or difficult to do, because of your age and health.

If the list of what you do is longer than the list of what he does, ask him which of the tasks in the last list can be moved to be his responsibility.

If one of the jobs he walked away from was hanging this things on the line (you mentioned that in another thread) leave them somewhere visible in the clothes basket to get smelly. When he can't find any clean boxers tell him you can't hang up clothes any more because it hurts your back too much, he will have to hang them up himself or wear them damp.

How does he think he will survive at Uni if he can't lift a finger for himself? Does he think his tutors will come round and see to his laundry for him? There are lads who are as badly prepared as that - when my son started, he shared a house with boys who thought that you just shoved a frozen chicken in the oven for half an hour, then took it out and ate it.

Don't get mad, get even......Your chance will come when he wants you to do something for him.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. Bide your time and plan something to make him think. How old is he BTW?