Yes, we do a lot of laundry at our house. And yes, we have great big front loader machines. But, NO! I do not do all the laundry. Years and years and years ago I was talking to a friend whose children were much much older than my 5, 3, and 1 year old boys. She had five children and mentioned that they all did their own laundry. She taught them at age five or six. I couldn't believe it! But I decided to give it a try.
I got Brandon, age 5 his own laundry basket, and each week I would help him sort his clothes, add some towels and other family items to his wash to make sure the machines were running on full, helped him measure in the soap and turn on the machine. I taught him to prespot his stains and to check the items again before he threw them into the dryer. For a long time, probably a year or two, I was there while he did his laundry. But he got more and more competent. Pretty soon, he could do his laundry all on his own. Did he sometimes mix the lights with the darks? Yes. Did he sometimes miss treating a stain? Yes. Did he need to be reminded to get his things into the dryer? Yes. But he was sorting and washing his clothes all on his own on a weekly basis, and folding them and putting them away as well. That lightened my laundry chores just a little….a very little.
Eventually, Kyle was able to do his own laundry, then Benjamin, and then Jacob and Nathan. By the time Jacob and Nathan were starting to wash their own clothes, we had purchased much larger machines. I recruited Nathan into the "do your own wash" program a little early and he and his older brother, Jacob, did their laundry together. Doing this made sure that the new bigger machines always had full loads. One boy's little clothes just weren't enough for a full load of lights and a full load of darks each week. Doing their wash together fixed that problem. It also turned out to be good because Jacob was there to mentor Nathan as he learned the steps to washing and drying clothes. At folding time they would separate their clothes and each put away his own.
Now their clothes are much bigger. They do their wash separately. They still often do a load of lights together as the bulk of their clothes are darker colors. Now, Olivia and Emily are doing their own wash, usually together, to make sure the washer gets completely filled.
..I have to mention here that they also wash their own bath towels each week. Each child has two of his or her own towels.
We also have "the green basket." We've had this basket for years and I wouldn't be surprised if when we someday replace it we can't even find one in the dated hunter green color. But whatever color basket we replace it with, I'm sure it will still be called the green basket. This basket sits next to the washer and dryer in the laundry room which is right off the kitchen. Into that basket I throw random dish towels, baby clothing, socks etc. When our children do their own wash they are asked to fill up their load with any lights or darks from this basket. The older boys always have room in their lights for at least a few things.
With so many children doing their own laundry, I have assigned each of them a laundry day. On that child's day he has first dibs on the washing machine. If someone else has an emergency, he can still do wash, but needs to be respectful of the "child of the day's" wash.
When Brandon first started doing his own laundry so many years ago, it really didn't result in saving me that much time. But over the years, having many children doing their own laundry, HAS saved me a lot of time. Right now, with seven children still living at home, I am only doing wash for my husband and myself, Sophia and David.
So why is there still always clean unfolded laundry on my couch when my visiting teachers come? Why am I am still regularly dumping the hamper of clean laundry out on my bedroom floor to find clean jammies for the baby?
I don't know. I've only figured out the "getting the wash clean and dried" part of the laundry chore. I still have a hard time getting it folded and put away, even if it is just for four people!!!
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