Homemaking: Your Job

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Your job as a homemaker is NOT to do all of the work.

Your job is to manage your home.

My kids, ages 12 and 15, are old enough to wash their own clothes. When they are not in sports or other outside activities, they need to wash their own laundry {I usually wash their clothes when they are busy.}

Unfortunately I often fall into the trap of thinking "they are washing their laundry to help me out." No no no....they are doing their laundry for a few reasons:

1. They need to know how to do this when they move out.
2. They have a bad habit of throwing clean clothes in their laundry basket. Miraculously when they have to do their own laundry they don't have as many clothes to wash.
3. They are a part of this family therefore they should be doing their part to manage the home.

I realized the other day that my kids have figured this out...right before Christmas when they were both busy with outside activities they said to me:

"Thanks Mom for doing my laundry."

My laundry routine today looks much different than it did when they were younger. When my kids need their clothes washed, they bring down their laundry basket. In the morning I'll put their clothes in the washer. 15 minutes before they get home, I'll put them into the dryer and SET THE TIMER so I remember when they are going to be dry!!!

Occasionally I'll help them fold their clothes. 

I guess to some people it wouldn't look like they are washing their own laundry, but this works for me because I like the timing of my routine.

Check out other hints and tricks over at We are THAT Family.