Single dad needing advice. Again.
A few weeks ago I wrote about laundry. And teens. And my 17 and 15 year old boys. And what I should do about clean clothes being put in the hamper. Every week.
Pretty much everyone commented on Facebook that I need to get out of the way–make them do it. Because “they’ll learn.”
The tough-love-they’ll-learn-they’ve-gotta-grow-up-you’ll-see plan.
I think simplistic parenting methods usually backfire.
Here’s my new question. Let’s just assume it’s been a couple of weeks. And as a result of the tough-love-they’ll-learn-they’ve-gotta-grow-up-you’ll-see plan, let’s assume you can’t see the hamper.
Because, again, we’re assuming, it’s completely covered in jeans and t-shirts and sweatshirts and underwear and socks and jackets? Oh, and towels.
And bedroom floors. Without a weekly ritual of “put all your clothes in the hamper” (i.e., get all your clean and dirty clothes off your bedroom floor so I could wash and fold them for you), let’s assume all the clothes stay put.
On the floor. On the bed.
Here’s what nobody predicted. First, when you make your kids do their own laundry, THERE’S ALWAYS THE OUTSIDE CHANCE THAT THEY WON’T DO THEIR OWN LAUNDRY. Or, they’ll do a very small load. Very small. And second, I’m doing laundry just for myself now. Just me. More small loads.
Anyway, gone are the days (let’s assume) of this single dad rounding up all the clothes from bedrooms and hampers, doing all the wash, including mine, folding it, and having it returned nicely to drawers and closets.
So, what do you think?
Stick with the tough-love-they’ll-learn-they’ve-gotta-grow-up-you’ll-see plan?