My kids do their own laundry... Well, most of the time! With this unchartered territory comes a lot of unknowns. Honestly, I've been a homeschooling mom before, that also ran a business. But things are different now. Instead of 1 or 2 kids, I have 4. And instead of a "hobby" business, I have a real business with real demands.
lol
Until, that just didn't work anymore.
After two blissful weeks of being the "I can do it all Mom" I realized that I actually couldn't do it all.
Laundry never ends. Children alway need something. And a home that is ALWAYs lived in, is ALWAYS dirty.
This led to a revolving feeling of lack. Lack of time, lack of love, and lack of help.
Thats right. We are not meant to do everything alone. We have family for this reason. We have extended family and community for this reason. I Love my extended family, community, friends, schools, daycare, church and church groups for this reason. And I don't like doing it alone. Four kids from 2 to 10 is a big range and a lot of demand. And so is manufacturing products to be distributed all across Canada (not to mention all the background work).
So, once I started feeling all "doom and gloom" over this. I spent some time there. DOOM and GLOOM. boo-hoo-hoo
But sometimes doom and gloom can do a lady some good. Yep! Welcome reality. If I can't have the help I would normally accept from people who are not living within my social isolation zone. Then I'm going to have to get it from the people within my safe zone. So put on your work gloves kids cause there is stuff to be done!
Now, I must say that laundry is a task that we all share in our house. But all this being-at-home business offers us an opportunity to have our kids participate in more. Like, more laundry. The big kids are completely used to washing their own laundry. Clothes that is. But bedding. Well, if your home all day, let's get at it!
I love how this activity of linen washing creates more satisfaction in their own personal space and cleanliness of it then if mommy were to have done it (as I always did). This one simple task that is an extra for my kids has taken one load off of me. Actually several, since there are several of them!
Another thing that we've been doing is having a "hold it" break. Its where the kids are about to run outside to play or head to watch a movie, or go off to bed. And I yell, (cause lets be honest, I'm not whispering) "HOLD IT!! If you all want to move on to the next (whatever), everyone is cleaning for 5 minutes and if this place isn't... in 5 minutes then we'll stay here till it is!" Because sometimes you just gotta. No, not sometimes... Almost all the time, you just gotta. And believe it or not, for the most part they are done the task well before the first 5 minutes is up!
I hope you enjoyed this Healthy Home Tip directly from the family that brings clean laundry into your home!
Love, Sheila-Ros
