Do your kids put away their own clothes?

[chickychatter]

I have a family of five which means I have a lot of laundry. Lately I've been having a hard time keeping up with all these clothes and most of the time they end up on the couch until I can get to them. My sixteen year old son had the nerve to tell me I'm not doing my job. Excuse me? I told him most kids put their own clothes away and he told me not now a days. So my question is do your teens help put their clothes away.?

[mumsy2three]

I also have a family of 5. I don't put my 16y/o dd's clothes away. I put them in a laundry basket in her room. Sometimes she will put them away but mostly she lives out of the laundry basket.

[Angltrls]

I only have one teen at home now, out of four. My kids were responsible for their own laundry from about sixth grade on. My oldest was in girl scouts and had to do hers for a badge, I just kept it up with each of the others. Keeping up with mine, DH adn all the towels, sheets, blankets etc is enough for anyone person. If your son is complaining, show him how the washer and dryer work. He'll have to do his own when he moves out anyway!

[vickieb310]

I agree - in theory anyway - that kids should do their own laundry.  I've found that I don't like anyone else using my washer/dryer so even though my girls know HOW to do the laundry, I generally don't let them.  (Yes, I know I'm not doing them any favors here.)

So I wash, dry, and fold all the laundry.  I separate each girl's (I only have two - 8 and 16) stuff into their own basket, from there, they are supposed to put it away.  Most of the time they do, after a day or two.

I won't put their clothes away - I don't even put my husband's clothes away. 

[crazydk7]

I have 7 kids and all of them put their own clothes away even the six yr old. all four older kids (12 to 17) know how to wash, dry, and fold. i work full time and do not have time to do laundry, work, help with homework, and after school activies. so the older kids share the chore and everyone knows how to put away their own.

[annie2244]

I have an 8th grader and a 6th grader. The rule in our house is starting in 7th grade you are responsible for your own laundry. I still do the 6th grader's laundry but then put it in a neat folded pile in her room and ask her to put it away in drawers/closet. She's pretty good about it, but I suppose if she wasn't we'd establish a rule, such as she has 24 hours to put them away then then no privileges till they are put away. Sometimes if the 8th grader had a super busy weekend she'll ask if I'll do her laundry and I do, but usually she does her own. 

Seems reasonable that your son does some more work - like doing his own laundry, but also getting assigned a night where he cooks dinner and does the dishes, and having 1 or 2 common rooms that is his to clean every Saturday in addition to his own room. You'll be doing his future wife a huge favor by disabusing him of the notion that this is women's work!  Whether or not you work outside the home, everybody lives and eats there, so everybody should be contributing.

[mama_k228]

All of our kids started doing their own laundry when they were about 12, with the exception of one son who was 10.  I will occasionally do my dd's laundry and maybe fold, but I don't put it away.  I don't even know how she has her clothes arranged.

[Ewadun]

Yes. I have two teenagers (boy, 15 and girl, 14). They've been alternatively doing the household laundry since the youngest was 9 years old. In addition to washing, they fold, iron, hang up or put their clothes in drawers. They stack mine on my bed. For a while, I had the most problem with my son who felt that he could play videos all night, wake up to someone else having shopped, cooked meals and washed his clothes! That stopped quick. After I made him wash, fold, cook, clean and grocery shop, on the same day, he learned his lesson. I wondered why he was exhausted???

While I do laundry periodically, I've told them I'm raising future men and women and they're responsible for learning how to run a household, budget, save and shop accordingly.

[KSmom2two]

We live in an apartment. My girls are in 7th and 9th grade.  Right now we go to the laundromat.  They fold their own clothes.  This year... we are getting a house and it will definately be their responsibilty to do their own laundry.  No ifs ands or buts.

[phoenix7]

my 4 older ones r required to do their own laundry...otherwise it costs them privilages if i have to do it...they r all perfectly capable...

[specialwingz]

My 17 year old twin boys do their own laundry.  They've been taught and if they want clean clothes, they'd better wash, dry, fold & put it away!