Son can do his own laundry

Q: My 12 year-year-old son is forever putting his clean laundry back into the dirty clothes hamper instead of putting it away. The laundry then needs to be rewashed because it is mixed with the dirty clothing and wet towels. After it gets washed and dried again, I then have to stand over him and make him put things away properly. Help me to end this battle!

A: There's no need to have a battle. Simply show him how to operate the washer and dryer. Give him a lesson is sorting the clothing, how to measure the detergent and so on. Put up a stain removal chart and write out the steps on index cards and laminate the cards, then display them near the washer/dryer.

Put him in charge of taking care of his own laundry. If a child can operate a microwave, computer, video game system, and so on, he can operate a washer and dryer. Twelve is definitely old enough to take care of this chore. Then relax! Enjoy the extra time doing something you like to do.

Copyright 2008 Julie P. Clark

Julie answers parenting questions in the members-only area of DrDaveStein.com

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