Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

My kids are still on the young side but the biggest household task I find overwhelming is the laundry. My mom introduced me to the washer when I started HS. I feel this is reasonable. What do others think? I know kids need to juggle things for school but I am afraid they will grow up viewing household chores like laundry as menial or beneath them.

Any thoughts? Anyone been there? I am hoping the light at the end of the tunnel does not come until they move out.

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Totally acceptable! It’s a life skill they need to learn.

My DD is almost 8 and if I do her laundry when she is home, she helps me fold it all. I also leave her folded laundry on her bed so she can put it away.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Yes! My DS is 10 and we started to teach him out to do the laundry. He still needs supervision (in terms of working the machines), but I'm thinking in a couple of years - certainly by high school age - he can manage it alone.

I have one child but he plays a lot of sports and is messy with his clothes, so I feel like I can never get out from under his mountain of laundry!

I think it's good to teach responsibility, and I was always grateful to my MIL that my DH, from the day I met him (in our 20s) was very self-sufficient with cooking, cleaning, laundry! I want my son to be the same way.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

My kids have been helping with the laundry for years now.

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Absolutely. My 11 and 12 year old help with the laundry all the time. They can't do it alone yet but they are pretty close.

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

by HS age? Definitely!!! i think my mom started showing me when i was like 11/12 or so. My boys are 8 and 5.... and i try to introduce it to them. if i'm doing it while they're awake/ around, i'll have them help me move it from the washer to the dryer, or put the dirty clothes from the hamper into the laundry basket. but definitely most of the time i will fold their laundry and put it on their beds and then they put it in their drawers. i'll also have them help me empty the dishwasher most of the time, too. for me, its all about just showing them everything that needs to be done around the house. i'm too much of a spazz to keep up with assigned chores/ a chore chart/ rewards, and all that.... but i just have them help as its needed. to just show them how to do their part around the house

Message edited 3/17/2019 7:23:36 PM.

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Thanks, what got me thinking is that I was talking to another mom who has 2 HS kids and and first grader. She does all of their laundry. I thought the world changed.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

I have an 8th grader and a 10th grader. They can do their own laundry and will throw on wash if something they want to wear is dirty, but for the most part I do all the laundry in the house. Their clothes are expensive and I’m a control freak, plus they both have very full schedules with school and travel ice hockey. BUT, I know it’s time to pull the plug and make at least my 10th grader do his own laundry full time. Maybe this summer...

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Teach them now, so when they get to college they don't throw straight bleach into the washer and ruin someone's perfectly good sweater. I was the one with the ruined sweater.

Message edited 3/18/2019 12:11:09 AM.

Re: should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

My 10 year old is responsible for his own laundry so def by high school they can have that responsibility. These are basic life skills that everyone should have! No need to wait until a certain age. I started taking my 6 year old to the basement to help put her laundry in the washer.

I'm hoping my older one will be cooking dinner soon!

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Yes!!!!!!!

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

My 7 & 8 year old just started doing their own laundry this year (wash, dry, fold & put away). It doesn’t take long (we have a washing machine in our basement... I could understand this being different if they had to do by hand or go to a laundromat). It is one of their weekly chores.

It’s really not rocket science.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Last year, when DS was on 7th grade, he started doing laundry with me. He helps me with putting the clothes on washing machine, then on the dryer and he folds his socks. I fold his t shirts because if he does it, they are a mess.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Absolutely

We go to a laundromat but my kids help me now and have for the almost 2 years we have been using it. So since they were like 9&10

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Heck yea.. If i can work full time and do laundry - at that age they can wash their clothes. Now If I am doing a load you can throw it in. I am not going to be a total @sshole and say no.

My son is going to start this year at 10. He already takes stuff out the dryer and puts his clothes away. His folding is atrocious, we need to practice that a little more.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

When I was in HS I was doing the laundry for the entire family as a part of my chores. So yeah, they can do their own laundry.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Yes,

My oldest DD is almost 9 and she will help me load the washer and I will even have her switch the load to the dryer on her own. Right now she enjoys it, but I know it won't last long.

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

I'm too much of a control freak. Plus, I hang dry a lot of clothes and I really only use the dryer to dry all the socks, towels and sheets. They have both come down to help me with the laundry, but they certainly are not tall enough to hang stuff up. In a few years I'll start leaving stuff on their beds to put away.

Growing up, we never did our own laundry. My grandmother did it all for us. I never did laundry until I got married and had to. Then my grandmother showed me what to do.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Message edited 3/25/2019 1:06:35 PM.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

I didn't have to do my own laundry until college although I knew how to do it. My mom did almost everything for me. I pretty much do everything for my kids but they are still pretty young, my oldest is 11. My husband had to do his own laundry starting in high school. He doesn't even know how to work our washer dryer so it didn't do him any good or teach him any life long lessons. Ultimately my mom did it all for me until I left the house and then I did it all for myself. I would love to have my kids doing their own laundry conceptually but I can see the arguments now if someone has a load in and the other needs something washed ASAP. I will probably end up teaching them how and perhaps have them help with doing the family laundry but I doubt I will have them each do their own.

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Absolutely. I did my own laundry in HS. So did DH. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a teen to take responsibility for their own clothing. You won’t be there to do their laundry when they leave for college or move out. I think I would have been embarrassed to have shown up to college not knowing how to do my laundry.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

I just don't think doing laundry is any rocket science though.
I don't think my mom ever showed me how to do it or anything and I knew how to do it on my own when I moved out. ( I may have done some of my own stuff in high school too, but I honestly don't remember)
But you can actually just read the instructions on the inside of the washer lid if need be.
It's pretty self explanatory in my opinion.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

I did not do laundry until I went away to college--I love my parents but a lot of the things they did boggles my mind. My kids will be doing their laundry at 12ish maybe sooner, DD is 4 and helps me now. DS is 7 does chores as well.

Message edited 3/26/2019 12:39:29 PM.

Re: Should HS Age kids be dong their own laundry?

I wanted to add... I didn't do laundry until I got married I grew up in another country and always had help until I came here and got married, so I didn't do anything, only my bed... And yes, I learned how to do everything; but I don't have help here, so my son needs to help with some chores at home, same as DH does.