<p>If you can’t stand his laundry, then sit down. :D</p>
<p>hmm … I guess I’m on the hard ass side on this one … I certainly wouldn’t do any of the laundry … and I’d set an expectation of when the laundry is not all over the laundry room floor (and it would be short like one day). The catch is if your son doesn’t do or pick up the laundry … then the laundry needs to be tossed somewhere out of the families way and not helpful for the son (basement floor? garage? etc). Just another opinion.</p>
<p>hazmat - you have me pegged 
hey, I’m a budget analyst, aka numbers person.</p>
<p>Seriously though, we got mail from NYU about outside services that will do your laundry and clean your room.</p>
<p>[DormAid:</a> Work hard. Play hard. We’ll take care of the rest.](<a href=“http://www.dormaid.com/index@nyu.edu]DormAid:”>http://www.dormaid.com/index@nyu.edu)</p>
<p>I admit, I raise my hand. I am a laundry person. I love doing laundry. I really became an addict after receiving my latest side by side front loaders. The smell, the freshness, the zen. I really don’t mind- it’s the most rewarding household task, more so than cooking, which most people don’t have a problem with. It’s a multi-sensory experience- touch, smell, sight (I don’t taste the clothes and have a pretty quiet washer/dryer…) I enjoy folding, hanging, the feel, the touch, of cotton… (music playing…)</p>
<p>I confess, too - I do my son’s laundry when he comes home. Maybe I’d feel differently if he didn’t know how to do his own (S does his own laundry very capably when he’s at school), if he didn’t appreciate it, or if I didn’t have the time. Anyway, it’s not a big deal to me - I’m actually happy to do it for him (maybe some of that need to do the mom thing and being needed, just as you mention, srw - but I guess I don’t see such a “pressing” (LOL, ha, ha) need to avoid this). Besides, there’s always a load going, so adding his stuff to it is not much extra work in this case.</p>
<p>sueinphilly,
Don’t tell me it was the nice new pea coat he just bought!!! :(</p>
<p>$20/month may not be much by somebody’s standards, but if you think how much principal you have to have in a 5% apy CD to earn these “measly” $20/month, well, do the math!</p>
<p>In our family, all household laundry is combined in several color-themed piles, and I do the washing, DD does the sorting and folding. With my washing machine, I can’t complain that laundry chores are breaking my back.</p>
<p>$20 a bag isn’t going to be a month’s worth of laundry for a 6ft 2 in boy who works out at the gym every day.</p>
<p>Yes, he paid as much to dry clean his $150 pea coat as I paid for my winter coat. He deemed his Carhart -machine washable jacket he wore for 2 years in HS as unfit for NYC. ugh.</p>
<p>Doing anything that’s not first choice and feeling unappreciated for it, is going to make for some irritating relations. I don’t mind doing laundry, and S is extremely appreciative. He plans weekend visits to his grandparents a few times each semester so grandma will do his laundry for him. Of course, in return he does the hard manual labor stuff to help out his grandad. A win/win for both of them, s hates waiting for the laundry to be done, and Grandad needs someone to split wood and stuff. Plus s plays all the board games that the grandfolks love. Hope I get a grandkid like that one day.</p>
<p>Every one in my family does there own laundry- waaay too complicated with hand wash vs machine wash; drip dry vs. dryer; stain spotting etc. It’s just not worth it, BUT we will all group by color and process each others loads when asked!</p>
<p>I agree that it’s no problem to throw some stuff in with the other stuff and my husband is also good about helping with the laundry, so his examples are good. But his is just too much laundry and the expectation and seeming lack of appreciatiton is what has got me angry. I really appreciate all of the support, it’s helping me to see that I am in the right in expecting more from him. It’s also good to know that other people’s kids are “slobs” at school. I wonder when he gets back if he’ll have a cleaning charge on his account. I think they inspect and clean the rooms, if needed, over break. It’s interesting how I have been able to let go of my older son’s laundry but it’s been tough with the younger one. I’ll tell ya’ this new stage of life is kinda hard for me, I’m looking forward to the feeling of freedom of having the kids launched.</p>
<p>HAHAHA Opened this thread as my D was folding her laundry…she goes back tonight. She is a junior and this is the first time she didn’t bring a ton of dirty clothes. She had the opportunity to separate it with my laundry, but chose to do her own… so proud…finally growing up! Truthfully, I taught all my kids to do laundry in jr. high. Sometimes we pool our loads, sometimes not. </p>
<p>But I had to laugh when I read OP and she was upset about the clean folded laundry in with thhe dirty… I have been complaining about that for years with my kids!</p>
<p>I guess those of you with each family member doing their own laundry don’t have a septic tank or at least one that works better then mine.</p>
<p>We have a septic, too. We don’t do more than 2 loads/day, so there is always a load or two going. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t bother me to throw a few more items in with the family wash. It’s just an everyday chore at our house. Sort of like brushing teeth!</p>
<p>There are 2 different issues here. 1) do you do your kid’s laundry when they present a reasonable amount that blends with family wash and take care of it after? 2) do you do your kid’s laundry when they don’t seem to care what they throw in there? (like the folded clothes you did last time). I would do 1 if they quit doing 2… Meanwhile they’re on their own.
How can someone not understand the bliss of CSN (clean sheet night) each week?</p>
<p>Clean sheet night…Yes, tomorrow night.</p>
<p>I don’t understand the point that kids wouldn’t have full loads of laundry if they do their own clothes and don’t mix it in with the family wash. My son will wait until he has worn every lick of clothing he owns until he does his wash and that’s got to be at least three loads. We don’t have septic but we do have a limited hot water supply and a discounted electric bill if we don’t run more then one major appliance during the day, so I do laundry on weekends or in the evening. </p>
<p>We don’t have room for dirty laundry to hang out in the laundry area as it’s also the dogs sleeping room and the entrance way from the garage so son’s laundry can just pile up in his room. The door closes very nicely there. </p>
<p>I have to admit that I will offer to fold. I hate the look of wrinkled shirts so a session of quick folding alongside one of the kids works for us.</p>
<p>srw, you are not losing loving Mom points here, you are building a more empathetic man.</p>
<p>doubleplay…everyone skimmed over your confession…I wish I could catch what you have… Unless I get onto a “roll”, I am the worst about doing a consistant wash, dry, fold/hang up routine. This week, I FINALLY got around to folding about 3 weeks’ worth of clean laundry (got tired of rooting around in baskets for underwear). Ironing? Ha! I have a basket of clothes in my laundry room, some of which have been around for months, that need to be ironed. Will you come play at my house!!! p.s. in the rare moments that I get into “the laundry zone”, I’ll wash anything and everything. D has been so appreciative of having a wonderful consistantly-working washer and dryer since she’s been home, she’s been finishing my loads, and I’ve been finishing hers. It all goes back to whether it’s “expected” for you to do their laundry, or if they really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Oft times easier to train than children [Faithful</a> dog does the laundry, tidies up and brings shopping home | the Daily Mail](<a href=“Faithful dog does the laundry, tidies up and brings shopping home | Daily Mail Online”>Faithful dog does the laundry, tidies up and brings shopping home | Daily Mail Online)</p>
<p>astro - When we moved from California to New England, I brought a basket that had in it, I confess, unironed clothes from eons ago. I don’t even know how long. I decided it was time for the “if you haven’t worn it in 2 (hah! 2? try 8???) years, give it away.” </p>
<p>We have septic. I guess it works better than mom60’s. But, as someone else said, each family member doing his/her own laundry doesn’t mean loads are not full. We each wait for that time - doesn’t take all that long for any of us.</p>