Before I begin we need to have an understanding on a few things...I'm not not like you're typical coddling and "time out" parent of today's world or the soft parenting type; I also believe in giving my children responsibilities (applicable to their age group of course) and chores. Chores dont warrant money rewards in my house but becomes parts of their routines and lifestyle - I mean last I checked the military isn't paying you at boot camp or BUDS to keep the place you sleep tidy and the discipline of self!...It starts at home and with that so does teaching your children coping mechanisms, but I digress because that's a separate post altogether. So since my children were able to sit up learning mechanisms began for tidiness and discipline, then when they began to walk cleaning up and learning chores around the house began.
My kiddos were helping with laundry loads (at least taking it to the laundry room and helping me or my mom load the washer and dryer. Fast forward to now and my kiddos responsibilities involving the laundry have increased. They are more than capable to doing the whole laundry routine themselves and for their own clothes!
So let's make it fun, entertaining, and easier. Chores in our home always involve music and sometimes goofiness (just depends on what the end goal is) so the kiddos get a little whiny from time to time but sometimes changing up the music or the routine of the chore helps. Hence the new family project to inspire a more encouraging and self satisfaction chore.
Using up cardboard my kiddos and I created our very own folding boards (ironically on Labor Day weekend too). So it became an arts and crafts time with the excitement building to actually DO the laundry. We didn't use the exact measurements that a lot of videos and instructions stated-so I created our own design that would work for both their clothes and even mine! We also didn't use duct tape like literally all the instructions said. I found that the FedEx/clear packing tape was more foldable in its use and a cleaner look for what we wanted to do. Decorations were done by hand and just using the sharpie markers!
We did lots of laundry and the faces of the kiddos was so great! They were confidant in their work, they were fulfilled because they did it ALL themselves, AND the project alone was also their creation. Best way to build self-esteem, self accomplishment, AND humans that will be able to survive in society regardless of all the other wimps (male and female)...they won't need me to do their laundry but doesn't mean that I still won't enjoy doing it with them! :)
Sincerely,
A Distinct Woman
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