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| Yes | 89% | 196 votes | Total: 220 votes | |
| No | 11% | 24 votes |
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Add to FavoritesChildren should be taught to wash and iron their own clothing. Parents often underestimate the ability of their children, in particular with regard to any activity associated with "work."
We know it is good for our children to make a contribution to family maintenance, but usually walking the dog, loading the dishwasher and cleaning their own room seem like sufficient and appropriate duties. After all, we don't want to treat our progeny like little servants.
In childrearing often mundane tasks teach the most important and valuable life lessons. So it is with washing and ironing. On the surface these activities would appear to be run of the mill "chores" and almost punitive in nature when assigned to a child.
As our child's guardian and primary teacher, we might want to realize the value of teaching our child to do his laundry. In addition to fostering independence, taking care of his own personal belongings benefits the child in the following ways:
* Teaches organizational skills
When a child washes and irons his own clothing, it naturally follows he will put them away neatly in his closet and drawers. He will quickly learn the advantage of accumulating his soiled clothing in one area, such as a hamper or laundry basket, and without a reprimanding word from the parent, the child's room will become neater. He will also be less inclined to leave his belongings laying around or misplace them.
* Teaches survival skills
Every parent is aware that one day the child will strike out on his own and have separate living quarters. Sad is the young adult who grew up being waited upon and having everything done for him. He suddenly finds himself in a position of arrested development as he feels helpless to take care of his own needs. It is an act of parental love to teach our child to do his own laundry.
* Fosters independence
By the time children reach the preteen years, they are already seeking ways to be independent. Having responsibility for their own clothing choices and upkeep is a good way to encourage independent behavior. Learning skills surrounding their wardrobe in small increments as they mature will ensure they are ready to cope when they go out on their own.
* Fosters a sense of pride in accomplishment and appearance
Young adults who look really "put together" know how to iron, how to match up outfits and how to shop for clothing. All of these skills were acquired in the process of doing their own laundry and taking care of their own possessions as children. Reading lablels when learning how to sort laundry increases awareness of the importance of quality and durability. This experience is invaluable later in life.
Taking over the responsibility for caring for their own clothing is something which must be taught in small increments. Even very young children can help fold laundry. Around the age of ten they can advance to sorting and washing. Reading skill is necessary when sorting and the child learns each garment comes with a tag of washing and ironing instructions.
By the time most children are twelve they can be introduced, with adult supervision, to ironing uncomplicated items. I still fondly remember when I was twelve my mother gave me the responsibility of ironing all the handkerchiefs and pillowcases for the entire family laundry.
By the time I was thirteen I was quite adept at handling all of my own wardrobe needs, and received an allowance for any ironing I did for the rest of the family. I was more than eager to be the "family laundress." To this day, ironing is one of my favorite relaxing activities. The benefits of perma pressed materials was lost on me. I still enjoy the sight of crisply ironed clothes.
As with many tasks associated with childrearing, it is often easier to do it ourselves than to take the time and energy required to teach our children how to do laundry and iron. If we truly want our children to develop into competent, independent adults, instilled with a sense of accomplishment and pride in their appearance, we must give serious thought to "letting" them do the laundry. They will thank us one day.
Learn more about this author, Carol Gioia.
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No
When my son was in fifth grade he developed a love for a morning routine, which included ironing the pair of pants and shirt he would wear to school that day. He had reached a stage where he seemed to enjoy taking responsibility for himself, and he particularly loved getting up very early in order to be able to have an organized morning.
If he had asked me to iron his shirts I would have been glad to do it, but he never asked. He would eat a healthy breakfast, iron his shirt and pants, take a shower, and do a skin-care routine on his face (because he was worried about a blemish that would occasionally appear).
Since it looked to me as if my son knew how to get the shirt and pants ironed, I didn't interfere or offer suggestions.
It was around that time when he also asked if he could wash his own clothes. It just seemed that he liked feeling he was on top of things in his life. It took all of 30 seconds, I'm guessing, to give him the rundown on hot, warm, and cold water for which clothes. Explaining about separating some items, and about how some colors may run in hot water, took another ten seconds.
My theory was always that ironing and washing made my son feel grown up because he had come to see such tasks as what grown-ups do.
My other two children showed no interest in ironing their clothes from fifth grade on, but once they got to be in their early teens they just took it upon themselves to throw in their own wash. If I were doing a wash I may ask if anyone had anything to add to it, but, in general, they just washed their own clothes.
Upon thinking about it, I realize that my mother never told me how to wash or iron either. She, as I did, gave me quick pointers about not mixing whites and colors somewhere along the way. Never, though, did she ask me to do my own laundry. Neither did she ever show me any ironing tricks. Still, as my own kids did, once I got to a certain age I just washed my own clothes. If I had a need to iron them I would iron them.
Throwing in a load of any kind of clothes isn't a difficult thing to figure out. Ironing is something most of us figured out by following the fabric guidelines on the iron's settings labels. It doesn't take anyone very long to figure out that some ironing motions make new wrinkles or that the wrong setting will make the fabric start to stick a little.
I don't believe that the job of washing and ironing the family's laundry should become the responsibility of children; but when it comes to their own clothes, I think most kids just figure out when it's time to wash their own and iron them if they think they need it.
Washing and ironing one's own clothes is a part of life, the way brushing one's teeth is. Washing and ironing are not great skills, great art, a lofty goal, or most people's choice of a career. I tend to suspect if we just do our laundry and don't make a big deal out of what a chore it is, our kids grow up and see it the same way.
Learn more about this author, Lisa Hunt Warren.
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