The kids are not happy with me...

Hello Arieles. There seems to be an unwritten law for kids. They seem to think it is OK to shove thing under the bed out of sight when cleaning their room. It seems to go on generation after generation. When my girls were between 10 and 11 years old. I worked out side the home. I didn't think they were old enough to do laundry until one day as I was doing laundry it ever seem to end. Every time I walked into their room there were more clothes on the floor looking like they needed washing. right then I decided it was time they started doing their own laundry. Their room never did seem to get clean and stay clean for more than a day or two. They had to share a room so it was always the others ones stuff on the floor. Always blame some one else. This was about 40 years ago. Well 20 years ago I took on the job of raising two of my grandchildren. My grandson was pretty good when he was about 5 until he reached about 10 for keeping his room picked up. His sister was the opposite. When she was finished with it it fell to the floor. As they got older they too had to do their own laundry. Now I live with my daughter and her three girls. the youngest is almost 17 and the oldest is 23 and they have to share ca room and it is taking your life into your hands to try walking through that room. My daughter has a hamper for each one but it is still easier to just throw it on the floor. If I had it to do all over again when the kids were real young I would limit the amount of toys and clothes they had. If they didn't keep it picked up and put in it's proper place it would go in the garbage. or at least they would not be aloud to have it until the ones they had left were kept put up. Now the girls have enough clothes for about three weeks with a clean set every day. I would limit them to about one weeks worth until they started keeping the clothes picked up off the floor.

I was only 7 years old when I learned washing my youngest sister's cloth diapers. It wasn't so disgusting since baby poops smells milk. When I got 11 years old, I start washing t-shirts for everyone in my family and the rest of my siblings are playing I'm the oldest, so i'm always the one who help my parents first.

Sheesh!! I know how you feel about this frustrating part of life called laundry. I often find myself in the same situation as you have shared here. I have not done this with all of my children. But once I did put away most of my oldest sons clothes for a while. I had selected a few items that he would wear to school along with a few play clothes and jammas. I did this after he kept shoving his clothes in the drawers dirty and clean and just putting clean clothes in the hamper. It was more just to have a smaller amount of things to look after. Process of elimination. I think we might have to do this again. If you looked at my laundry room you would think it was time to do the same thing!!

yup, i have teenaged girls and i have gotten them to do laundry before. in fact, my college aged daughter is home for the holidays and she already knows she has to do her own laundry because i have to work this week still. i think you are right to make your kids do the laundry, it will teach them a couple of things: 1, that laundry is not a piece of cake, it takes time and 2, maybe they will be a little more careful with the clean and dirty clothes. i think you handled it correctly.

I would have done the same thing being in your situation . I think you handle it the best way possible , they will surly learn . I dont think they will want to do that again , anytime soon .

Not sure how old your kids are but when they were about 12 years old, they did their own laundry. If they wanted clean clothes, they knew how to operate the washing machine and dryer. Did chores around the house as well. I tried to do a rotation system but they were each happy with sticking to the same chores. My oldest son had the job of vacuuming the stairs and he decided to stick to that chore for several years. If all of my kids were happy sticking to the same chore and it gets done, it was a system that worked for our family. The less I did for my kids, the more they did for themselves. I am still mom but my children, in gradual steps, had to learn to grow up and be responsible.

I probably would've handled the situation the same way you did, it's the only way their going to learn. And it's time they start learning how to do laundry anyways for when they get older their going to have to do it without mom or dad being around. I hope they learned from this though and won't do it again.

As soon as kids are old enough to sort laundry and work the machine, I say put them to work doing their own laundry. That's what I plan to do when I have children. The exception would be for any frilly, special occasion clothing that requires special laundering (i.e., hand wash only). When kids have responsibilities, it cuts down on such issues. When they don't, not only do you have to deal with such issues while they are children, you run the risk of that child growing into an adult who is not fully capable of taking care of herself or himself.

You did the right thing. It is only when kids are made to do the chores themselves do they appreciate the effort that is needed to do the laundry. Hopefully this will teach them to put away and hang up all clean clothese. My grand twins were doing the same thing but I insisted that they put all dirty clothes into the laundry hamper instead of dropping them on the floor. I still have to tell them occasionalyy to do it but they are really getting better at remembering now and starting to don this chore automatically. Obviously my GC are too young to do laundry but they helping now to sort out the laundry into the different loads. The thing is consistancy until it just becomes a good habit with them. Point out to them how disrespected you feel when they do this and it is their house too and so all emembers have a duty to help keep it organised. Good luck and don't give up and start picking up the clothes yourself.

I don't have kids but I imagine that this wasn't a pleasant experience for you. you did well and I think you taught them a lesson

Yes kids sure like doing that.. same thing when cleaning their rooms. They hide things under beds. I guess its a game for them.