I agree with the last post, you're doing something right because your kids sound good to me.
You might need more help around the house because you've gone back to work. Let them know that. Try doing things together. I found that to work really well with my sons. They had less time with me and it gave us time together. Often working alone isn't much fun but as a group it isn't that bad.
We set aside a time when we did a major clean up wildly going around dusting, mopping & vacuming. Then we could all go do something fun.
Ask them if they'd be willing to do that, working together. Or ask them if there is something they don't mind doing- my one son mops. He does that on his own time- sometimes it's nine at night- not my choice of scheduling- he'll only do it if we have pinesol- so I keep that in big supply.
My boys willingly did chores at two- wanted to help. Kept that up until middle school when they couldn't be bothered. Socializing became so much more important then.
That worked too. If they were planning to have friends over, I helped them clean up. Shoe on the other foot. I'm helping them. They use the tv room and room with the pool table and the bathroom. We clean those up before they have guests.
I have the same problem with my 10 yr old daughter.. She is not a bad kid but she's very lazy and I don't know how to motivate her. I've asked her what she wants to help with but she does not want to do anything.. and when I let her know how I feel, she tells me that I "hurt her feelings by calling her lazy".. yet she still does not help..
