Having Children Help with Laundry

Laundry is one of those chores that you’ll be doing all throughout your life. You produce laundry as an infant and you continue to produce laundry all through your adult life. I believe every adult, whether male or female, should know how to do laundry.

Even young children can help with laundry. Start with putting laundry baskets or laundry hampers in everyone’s rooms. Each person is responsible for putting their laundry into their own basket. When children are not quite old enough to do this chore, you can tell the child what you are doing and get them used to the fact that in their room is a laundry basket.

I separate clothes into a few piles. I have colored clothes, white clothes, towels and sheets. Children can help separate once laundry day has arrived. Here in California, it’s very common to have the washer and dryer in the garage. Only once have my laundry machines been inside the house.

In the garage I have 4 piles. Children can take the clothes out of their laundry baskets and put those clothes into the appropriate piles. This helps children learn that it might not be wise to wash white socks with dark blue jeans.

Once you measure the laundry soap, children can pour the soap into the machine. Depending on the age of the child, they might be able to measure the soap also.

When it’s time to put the clothes into the dryer, let the kids help. Are there items you don’t put into the dryer? The kids, depending on age, might be able to pull those clothes out for you.

Do you use dryer sheets? The kids can put the dryer sheets into the dryer and even turn the dryer on.

When the clothes are done being dried children should be able to help put them away. Every family has their own routine. Kids can sort socks. Kids can fold towels. Kids can hang shirts on hangers. Kids can put folded clothes into their dresser drawers.

My kids have been doing their own laundry since they were preteens. They have learned how to sort loads, read labels and remove stains.

Teach your kids at a young age how to help with laundry and you’ll cut your work load as they begin to take responsibility for their own laundry.

Audrey Okaneko is mom to two girls. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at www.todays-parent.com

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