A mom of four has sparked conversation online about her children's nightly routine.
In a TikTok video, Jameela Ahmed (@thatmuslimmom) explained that when she puts her baby and toddler to bed, her two older children—10 and 13—take charge of resetting the main living area for the next day.
The "kitchen reset" involves splitting the two zones and assigning each child responsibility for one zone throughout the week, ensuring that the house is clean and organized by bedtime.
"Being able to count on them really lightens my load and makes my evenings less stressful than they used to be. Teamwork really does make the dream work," she said in her clip.
For the 35-year-old, the system is crucial in balancing her roles as a stay-at-home mom and homeschool educator.
"Having everyone pitch in allows for more bonding time as a family and also more time to just relax and have fun. I'm not so wound up about having to clean the house, which makes me more emotionally available to my kids," Ahmed told Newsweek.
Her clip received a mixed reaction on social media. Pinned to her profile, the video has clocked up over 180,000 views and counting.
"Raising capable adults regardless of gender! I love this," one wrote.
"I wish my parents did this they taught the eldest (me) everything and gave up on the middle and youngest child so I feel like I am the only one helping out my parents with everything," commented another.
"For the most part, people love that I'm raising kids who are responsible, independent and capable," Ahmed said.
Others insisted household chores shouldn't be a child's responsibility. Critics commented "let kids be kids" and "that's your job as a parent," but Ahmed disagreed with these sentiments, attributing her perspective to her cultural background.
"Being both Puerto Rican and Bengali, I come from collectivist cultures. We believe all people in a family and community have a duty to help the other. There isn't this idea of entitlement or lack of accountability just because you're a child. Everyone does what they can to the best of their ability."
Others questioned where Ahmed's husband was during the kitchen reset. "At the moment this was filmed, he was putting our toddler and baby to sleep. That's a whole job in itself," she replied.
"I think people who say things like 'let kids be kids and 'that's your job as a parent' are judging by their own values and cultural upbringing, instead of appreciating the fact that these ideals vary from place to place," Ahmed told Newsweek.
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