Comments about ‘LDS cleaning guru: Stop babying self-entitled young men’

Don's advice is good, and he is cute. I love a man who cleans.

This holds true for more than just our young men. It holds true for all. There are too many out there that feel they are entitled to the things they have. They blame others for every problem they have and will not take responsibility for anything that goes wrong with their life. To them I say "Grow up and make the best life you can for yourself. Don't worry about what others are doing. Just do your best to fulfill your responsibilities. If something goes wrong in your life take your licks and rise above it. If life gives you a stumbling block, turn it into a stepping stone to make your life better."

"Aslett said he's found that those who are sloppy in their habits tend to be sloppy in their keeping of commandments. Those who keep their physical house in order keep their spiritual houses in order."

Making a silly generalization such as this doesn't promote your other theories.

The most obsessive clean-freaks can also be the first to 'jump ship' in Gospel or testimony storms. They can't bear anything a little messed upor having one thing out of place--emotions, attitudes and actions included.

Also, just suddenly chopping off all aid to missionary-bound young men isn't nearly so effective as a gradual shifting to them doing more for themselves.

The so-called guru has a lot to learn.

I had 21 companions. I was often sent "problem" Elders to help make attitude and life adjustments.
MOST of them could not cook a thing and no clue how laundry was supposed to be done. One of their major problems in adjusting to the Mission was their total lack ability to take care of themselves.
Read this article Mom's and Dad's with an eye towards your 18 year old son. If he can't cook, wash, clean and survive he'll be wasting a lot of peoples time.

My only comment is "Why wait until they are 18 years old to insist that they take responsibility?" It's too late then! Start when they are toddlers and teach them to pick up their toys and put them away, to make their bed and to help in the garden. Even an eager child will lose interest in helping if they are constantly told they are 'too little to help'!

Teach them responsibility all along the way, then it won't come as such a shock to them or to those who must endure their inept and helpless behaviors as adults.

This is great! My boys have done their laundry since they were 8. They have chores like everyone else here. They wash dishes, sweep floors and clean toilets..they gather chicken eggs and pick up dog droppings. Doesn't mean they clean perfectly. I don't, so why would I expect them too but they certainly know how to be a part of family!

Sean is obviously a very intelligent man. However, this is not a religious issue--it is an issue that is effecting all aspects of society. Too many young people have accepted the message of modern media that they are here only to indulge their every want and desire, and other people are here only to satisfy these wants and desires. This attitude has lead to a generation of young people who do not know how to cook, clean, or perform any other kind of basic work. This Country did not become the greatest on Earth by raising children who were lazy and expected their parents to do everything for them. If we want this Country to remain great, we must return to teaching the values of self-sacrifice, determination, and hard work.

To Guru?: Wow! A little sensitive there? Did Don's remarks hit a little too close to home? Your analysis of Don's comments is completely off. He didn't say you should become a clean freak. That's NOT what he said.

I have some of Don's books and also some of his products. He is great and really knows what he's talking about. I agree with him that cleanliness IS next to Godliness. A clean home and an orderly life is a good step toward inviting the Spirit into our homes. We often fall a little short, but we can try and following Don's methods is a really good start.

I also really admire Don for building an empire out of working as a custodian at BYU. He's a real entrepreneur. I think he's great.

Totally agree with the article. Too many mothers are doing way too much for their kids and husbands. Some husbands need to get off their backsides and do work around the house and teach their sons as well. Housework is not women's work. I've seen missionaries dirty apartments and it's disgusting. It's also interesting that those dirty missionaries and also disheveled or sloppy in their appearance. I truly believe cleanliness is next to godliness. One doesn't have to be obsessive about it, but it's nice to see.

Stop clipping their toe nails? seriously?

Just get a dog and let the dog clean up the table scraps that make it to the floor.

Amen to that.....Missionary and Young Ladies need to learn to clean. I don't know how many homes I have been too in my ward, where the whole house is a mess. I had 4 young ones and my house was alway clean. Now I know I am the exception but food on the food, counters a mess and kids with dirty clothes and faces? Come on Stay Home Moms...What are you staying home for if you are not take care of the Home. That is your JOB. Thank You!

And teach him to darn his own socks! You would be surprised how important that skill is!!!!.... I can still only make Mac & Cheese in the kitchen and I'm 53 years old. It's sad...really sad...but I did learn to do laundry in the mission field.

We really had a lot of respect for those guys that could cook and take better care of themselves then we could. It was like having a handful of Eagle Scouts in a forest of cubs! :-)

"A man prepared has half fought the battle."
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

When you have an emergency, it is too late to take out the manual. - Bill Letcher, private pilot.

Those who do not remember history are condemned to re-live it. Georges Santyana

Teach by example. Preparedness begins Day One. Take care of little things and the big things won't happen. Teach a child the right way to go and, when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Sort of sound advice as far as requiring people to be responsible for themselves but I agree more with others that it must happen at a younger age. As far as the cleanliness to Godliness thing? I know lots of clean freaks who are jerks, lousy parents, bosses, coworkers, and church leaders. I know plenty of people who might be construed as messy who are also very spiritual, insightful, wise, fun, and righteous. In fact I know more people who substitute cleaning and neatness for content replacing love for neatness, orderliness for skill, perfection in outward functions as a replacement for inner value, self-worth, or wisdom. I'll take a messy person any day who is fun, wise, creative and loving putting people above cleaning over a really neat house with perfect landscaping filled with a family of uptight high strung people who can't cope with change or life when it doesn't follow the cookie cutter life plans they have planned out, scheduled, organized, set to goals and held meetings for. If find these people are lousy parents, leaders, and friends, superficially organized and neat but wholly without sou, compassion,l or passion.

A clean home with 4 young ones seems like cleaning is a priority to parenting.

Stay at home mom's are mom's. Kid's can't be kid's in a house always spotless.

I will now add my 2 cents to this discussion, every young man who is getting ready to go out to serve, needs to also learn how to best serve himself as well. I would suggest that each young man learn at a very early age that laundry and cooking and keeping things tidy is not just "womens work". I would hope that mothers everywhere not just Mormon mothers will make a renewed effort to teach vital and needed survial skills to their children. A young man should know how to cook and clean and iron and sew on a button and do his own laundry. I hope this issue will be addressed by moms everywhere and will make an earnest effort to teach these vital skills to their children, the earlier the better.

And children who can play inside or outside their homes can be taught to clean up after themselves. Not teaching children basic living skills cheats them. Anyone who does not keep his or her environment clean and organized the majority of the time is an uncivilized human being.
I remember a talk given at General Conference in late 1988 concerning this and the G.A. questioned why any person in their right mind would want to even date a person like this. I agreed prior to his talk and still agree.

Amen. Well said.

When my son was a teen in the Young Men program, our ward had "Mommy Missionary Nights" where the moms and sons got together and the moms taught some basic skills such as sewing on buttons, simple mending, darning socks, as well as nutrition basics and simple meals. I heard over and over from my missionary son how valuable those sessions were. He'd been doing his own laundry since he was 10, but said the extras he learned from the moms in the ward really made a difference.