Tricks For Teaching Kids To Do Laundry

 

Teaching your kids to do their own laundry: it IS possible! Get them used to doing laundry from an early age and help foster responsibility among other good stuff. Review the following tips and enjoy a more functional household in regards to chores:

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Laminated Instructions

Make it easy for children and teens to do laundry by creating a step-by-step list of instructions and laminating them. Post them above the washer and dryer in the laundry room, or anywhere else in said room or basement that allows for easy reading. This avoids “I can’t do laundry because I don’t know how it works” complaints.

Dividing It Up

Divide laundry days up among your family. For example, you could take Monday and Wednesday, your partner Sunday and Tuesday, your kids the other days of the week, etc. Create a system that works for everyone in your house and stick to it. Let the kids know that if don’t do laundry on their designated days, they’ll get less time playing outside that day, less TV or computer time…you get the idea. This virtually ensures laundry will get done.

Towel Issue

Deal with towels by throwing them on the laundry room or basement floor and have the person whose day it is to do laundry take care of them. Piles of towels easily build up, even if yours is a smaller family, and since they’re usually wet it doesn’t take long for mildew to thrive. Solve this issue permanently by using the above suggestion.

Older Sibling Help

Teach the older children in your household about setting a good example for their younger siblings and always doing laundry on their specified days. Have them help their younger siblings if needed. If the older children want to switch out their laundry days and do each other’s laundry, that’s fine too. You may offer that option to the smaller children in your house if you want, however it might be confusing for them so use your best judgement.

Sticking To The System

Stick to your laundry system no matter what. If family members want to switch their days, emphasize that you don’t mind so long as the laundry gets done. Again, you’re teaching your kids about responsibility and setting a good example. You’re also avoiding stacks of laundry so high you’re wondering what happened to the cat!
Have any other laundry tips that just sprang to mind? Feel free to share them!