The children do their own laundry. Yes. It’s true. And they have for close to 8 months now.
I believe that responsibility is taught. I also believe that
having responsibility in the family shows each person’s importance and worth in
the family system. We are all important in the Rudnick household. We each are
instrumental in our family and its function.
Appropriate chores at an appropriate age mean different things
to different people. For us, Rowan and Evangeline can be responsible and
success with their laundry. What does
this look like in our home? Enter the laundry steps.
Step 1. Bring your
laundry basket to the laundry room.
- Sometimes they carry it by
themselves and other times they help each other carry their baskets. It’s
always loud and often giggly.
- Parental
guidance suggested – ensure the washer machine is empty and ready for a kid
load.
Step 2. Place all
your clothes in the washer machine.
- This usually turns out to be a very
interesting game of basketball, especially when Rowan’s doing his laundry.
- Parental
guidance suggested – remove any items at this time that are hand wash. Personally,
I don’t keep the children in clothes that are hand wash only but the exception
may be a holiday dress or tie.
Step 3. Add
detergent.
- Because detergent should handled
with care by children (and under supervision) I choose to purchase detergent pods
for the children’s laundry. The children are able to throw one pod in for their
load. It sets them up for success. I know it’s measured appropriately and that it’s
no mess (read: dangerous).
- Parental
guidance suggested – take one pod out and place on the washer machine.
Step 4. Start the
wash.
- …and
stand in awe of the water and clothes swishing around J
- Parental guidance suggested – choose the
appropriate temperature and wash size setting.
Step 5. Turn over the
wash to the dryer.
- I call the children to the laundry
room when I know the wash cycle is finished. I remove the clothes from the washer
machine and they move them to the dryer. Another game of basketball ensues at
this point too especially to add the dryer sheet or dryer ball.
- Parental
guidance suggested – put aside line-dry items as you are removing the items
from the washer. Hang separately.
Step 6. Fold the
clothes.
- Each of the children is very able
to fold their tops, bottoms, and pajamas. They are capable of sorting their
undergarments and matching their socks. Who doesn’t love a game of matching!
- Parental
guidance suggested – Let go of perfection in light of progress. Folding, with
teaching, gets better with each load.
Step 7. Put the
clothes away.
- They each can reach their drawers
for each type of clothing and this makes putting their clothes away super easy.
- Parental
guidance suggested – Fold and hang the ‘nice’ items to cut down on finding them
in the bottom of a drawer and having to iron them.
Is it perfect every time? No. There isn’t much we do that is
perfect every time. Is it awesome to see Rowan and Evangeline active in the
family, learning life lessons, and taking pride in their work? Yes. And, it’s
the opportunity early in life to learn that you’ll have less laundry if you
dirty less! Rowan just put that together last week J
