Need a good laugh?

Last night, I informed my children that they were now responsible for their own laundry.

I have always done our laundry on Saturday or Sunday. The kids, until recently, have been really good about bringing me their dirty laundry to be washed. But, since we moved, they really haven't been very good. Miss Kat will bring me a few things, but will not bring up her important laundry (like underwear) until she's been out for several days.

Andy used to do that too...I'd be doing laundry, and find 2 pair of underwear to be washed. Either he wasn't changing them, or he was using both sides before bringing them to be washed. And, believe you me...sometimes they looked like they'd been worn for a week or two.

What is it with my kids and underwear???

Then there's the deal with jeans. For many years, we simply didn't have the money for the kids (or we adults) to have more than 2 or 3 pair of jeans. So, we'd wear them a couple of days and then put them in the wash. That worked well until Andy got an "Outside" job and got very dirty. Which was fine, because by this time, he had 4 or 5 pair of jeans...

He just wouldn't wear them because he didn't like them. (And they say girls are picky.)

Miss Kat is almost as bad. She has several pair of jeans now (thank God for hand me downs). However, she'll take them off and they'll disappear in the dark recesses of her room; never to be seen again. And, then suddenly, they'll reappear, all in a laundry pile, needing an emergency wash because someone "doesn't have anything to wear."

The last couple of months, I've begged the kids to bring me their laundry to wash. I've demanded that they bring me their laundry, I've threatened, I've gotten on my knees, begging to do their laundry.

Until now. Dang it, they can do it themselves.

Which led to me telling them they were responsible for their own laundry. At which point, Miss Kat said, "That's good. I've been doing my own laundry for a couple of months now anyway."

After I picked up my jaw off the floor...and after I stopped laughing hysterically, I simply said

"good."



Footnote: She hasn't been doing her laundry, because I have yet to 1. Hear the machine run. 2. See her carry laundry up or down the stairs. and 3. There's usually something of mine still in the dryer that I forgot to get folded and we all know that a teenager won't fold any laundry that isn't her own and can't even use the dryer if there's something in it... and 4. well...yeah, as her mother, I know better!