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As laundry habits are learned and practised around our home, two things I am sure of. First, all of our children have been taught how to use the washer and dryer (they haven't mastered the new ones we bought here just yet though), know how to fold and store clothing away on their own too in proper drawers, bins or baskets, folding all properly, or hanging dressy items on a hanger just right so they don't fall off immediately following. The second thing I know for sure, laundry piles will always be around to sort, mend, and get through. They are like a monster, always around to haunt us!
Actually, our laundry never needs sorting around here, as we have two rubbermaid hampers in the hallway, one dark in color and one white. The children have been taught to save mommy work by choosing the proper hamper for their dirty duds, simply by browsing the color selections on top of the hampers on the labels.
This makes a huge difference for me on laundry days, and the children not to have to do this chore at the same time next to me. Free for the download and printing, you too can have the helpful labels ( pdf file) at THIS SITE HERE...This week there was an opportunity to get the younger two into action, deep in the cave of the laundry room. With the ironing board lowered to their height, detailed explanations and instructions were given for safety and usage of my iron.
The lesson began with simple instructions ironing pillow cases from our morning chores of changing our own sheets. After the laundry pile was complete from its cycle in both washer and dryer, these pillow cases appear more inviting for laying down our heads on them, if they are wrinkle free and nicely ironed.
Therefore, one willing participant was eager to gather her training, ironed two pillow cases when all of a sudden, her older brother entered the room fretting over why he was being left out of the lesson.
Happily he divided the rest of the pile waiting their decreasing, and awaited his lesson to begin. Daughter was happy, Son was happy, Mom was very happy and all will enjoy the fresh ironed pillow cases for the next "sheet change day" chore.
Lest I burst their bubble, I'll continue to guide them onward, slowly teaching them to iron various types of clothing, tablecloths, cloth napkins and the like, until they are proficient at the task, loving it so much they will simply beg for more. Then I'm hoping (wink, wink) to hand over the chore to them completely.
I will never tell them frankly their mother cannot stand the job herself, though tackles it herself because she loves freshly ironed clothing and other household paraphenalia, rather I've already learned this particular "life skill" myself especially having a husband who wears dress shirts to work each day. Can you say MOUNDS of those shirts enter my laundry room every month! If they enjoy the task of ironing thoes particular types of men's dress shirts, perhaps I will end up having to pay for the child labour, a price per shirt to have the task completed someday.
Meanwhile, they too, will become proficient at this life skill so they have the experience at the very least behind them for the future.
