Some of you may remember my fight with the ugly Laundry Monster last year. If you're feeling brave, you may take a moment to refresh your memory: The Laundry Chronicles.
Since then, I have tried and tested several Laundry Theories in search of a simpiler method that actually works. Let me review The Theories and their most common problems:
1. The classic "Once A Week" model. Problem: Who has an entire day to drop out of the world and do nothing but laundry? Or, better yet, who wants to?!
2. The avant-garde "A Load A Day" method. Problem: The Stopper. A basket full of clean, unfolded laundry. Sitting. Waiting. Displacing guilt to all uninterested parties. Everything always stagnates from there.
3. The traditional, 1950'a "Do It All Myself" approach. Problem: Awful and embittering. Left husband feeling sorry for wife and mother angry at children for wearing clothing.
4. The "Dragging My Reluctant Children Kicking and Screaming Along with Me", um, I mean "Including the Family" scheme. Method: As I finished each load I would dump the basket in the middle of the living room and after lunch they were supposed to help me sort all the clothes. They were then responsible for folding and putting their stuff away. Problem is trifold: Nobody wants to do chores after lunch. A pile of five loads of laundry is frightening to a four-year-old. The kids just don't get the "whistle while you work" let's work together as a team mentality. No "spoon full of sugar" around here! We were all miserable and the laundry wasn’t getting done.
5. The ellusive "Happy Medium" technique. Method: I wash, fold and put their clothes on their assigned step. They bring down the dirty laundry in the morning and put away their own folded laundry after breakfast. Problem: There isn't one!
Why this works:
1. It is fast and easy as it is only ONE load of laundry.
2. I have willing participants in the process.
3. The Girls harbor fresh, painful memories of Method Number 4.
You may ask, "What is Steve’s job in all this?" It’s simple.
1. Stay out of my way.
2. Kick the kids back into play should they refuse to participate.
3. Don’t contribute to the mess I have to deal with, also known as, put your own dirty laundry IN the laundry basket.
1 comment:
That is so, so funny! Glad to see a happy ending. I'm in the same boat with trial and error of the laundry scenario! "angry at the kids for wearing clothes" really hit close to home for me. LOL!
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