Weekend Wonder: Laundry
Supporting your child in becoming an individual who can take care of themselves and contribute to your world at home is a continuous effort that is not always emphasized in modern parenting.
Historically, it wouldn’t have been such an effort - children were invited to participate in life more fully due to necessity, and in many families, communities, cultures, and places they still are.
Yet at this time in many homes in the US, we have stopped including young children in the work of life.
It’s time to consider changing that.
Including your child in the daily tasks that keep life going - cleaning, tidying, cooking, laundry - is hugely valuable.
This is not a small thing.
This is one of the most impactful choices you can make as the parent of a young child.
When a child has tangible, confirmable evidence of their capability - in the laundry they folded or the table they wiped down, the books they organized or the mirror they cleaned - an internal stability starts to develop.
This generates a genuine form of self-confidence in a young child - more valuable than external praise.
It supports the development of self-efficacy - defined as an individual’s belief that they can be successful in carrying out a certain task.
And this empowers their later success - in school, in relationships, in work, and as a member of society.
So, during an upcoming weekend, I invite you to consider your laundry.
(I am certain you have to consider it in any case! Why not include your child?)
What does laundry have to offer your child, developmentally?
Sorting
Sorting is the basis for more complex mental processes and is used by humans throughout life in many ways. This is a natural opportunity for you to foster this cognitive skill.
Invite your child to sort light and dark laundry.
This sounds like: “we have a lot of laundry to wash this weekend! The laundry basket is full! You know what we need to do first? We have to sort the laundry into two big piles. Let’s do it together. I’ll show you how.”
Model how to sort a few items.
Encourage and engage with your child about the sorting process as you go, but let them do the work - don’t interrupt or distract unnecessarily. Keep your focus on the task at hand.
Communicate your acknowledgment and appreciation when complete.
This sounds like: “You helped me find many dark colors for the laundry. We will wash those with cold water. I appreciate your help with this, it is wonderful to work together” (not good job - not thank you!! Talk to your child with kindness and regard - as you would a person, not a pet).
Folding
Folding strengthens your child’s motor skills and capacity to attentively follow a pattern. It is a motive for concentration and repetition - two characteristics of beneficial engagement that you will want to support.
Invite your child to fold one simple type of clothing, such as pants or leggings (they can sort these first).
Other good items: pairing and rolling socks and t-shirts. Sweaters or dresses as skills grow.
Model how to fold one type of item.
Encourage and engage with your child about the folding process as you go, but let them do the work - don’t interrupt unnecessarily or overly correct them. They may need some reminders. This is the first experience of many to come and they will become more adept with time.
Communicate your acknowledgment and appreciation.
This sounds like: “you folded many pairs of leggings today! Let’s count how many you folded carefully together. One, two, three, four, five! You counted five pairs of leggings. That is wonderful. These are ready to be placed in your drawer. Can you think of where they go? Let’s go place them there. It will be so nice to have these fresh, clean leggings to choose from when you get dressed.”
Learning can be this accessible.
Invite your child into this experience consistently to support their growth. It’s a wonderful way to fill some time during a weekend or afternoon - while checking something off your to-do list!