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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

15 year old in charge of the washing?

86 replies

PixiePlunge · 06/03/2017 23:33

Overheard a colleague today say that her 15 year old son takes over the clothes washing in their house and doesn't like anyone to do it.

Aibu to find that very strange?

OP posts:

skerrywind · 07/03/2017 09:21

I enjoy doing laundry.

Puremince · 07/03/2017 09:25

I do everyone's whites (no-one has enough for a full load otherwise), everyone does their own apart from that. Teenagers will offer to add some of their siblings' laundry to make up a full load if needs be. Teenagers do their own bedding, but I usually do the towels. A helpful teen might do a load of towels.

BoboChic · 07/03/2017 09:30

I think it's strange for members of a household to do their washing individually. In our household there are white washes, black washes, light colours washes, bright colour washes... with everyone's things mixed in together. It's the most efficient way of getting clothes clean while prolonging their beauty and lifespan.

Emboo19 · 07/03/2017 09:30

This was my dad as a teen, he's always been really funny over how his clothes, in particular his jeans are washed and dried. His mum would go mad at him only washing a few things at a time, so he'd just do it all.

He's always done most of the family washing and ironing, he quite enjoys it. I've told him he doesn't have to do mine and dd's (I'm still living at home) or that he can just put it in my room and I'll sort and iron it. I still come home and it's all beautifully ironed and laid on my bed to be put away.

Willow2017 · 07/03/2017 09:39

Our primary school had a period where kids were encouraged to bring in evidence of what they did at home/ out of school as part of active kids topic.
This included household chores etc. Most of my 11yr old's was cooking tea and baking for the family. He loves it. Plus washing up putting washing on the line etc it was great for me too but the enthusiasm for anything except cooking and baking didn't really last after the topic ended😁 he still does it just not enrhusiastic😁

skerrywind · 07/03/2017 09:42

bobo- I agree.

I do lots of different types of washes. I use separate detergents to prolong colours, hot washes for whites, cold short washes for lightly soiled or delicates, woollen washes, turbo washes for soiled work clothes etc.

It makes sense to sort and wash all similar clothes together.

Kikikaakaa · 07/03/2017 09:43

Mine are in charge of all the washing up.

StickyMouse · 07/03/2017 09:57

I can't see any issue with and love that the DC in question has nominated himself for the job!

I sorted the laundry out for the family from the age of 11, we were a family of 3, single parent working full time and some evenings so we needed to chivvy up who did what household chores. I chose laundry, my sister age 14 did cooking. All good.

I hate ironing now though and don't do it, I will when DC start school but right now I don't buy clothes that need ironing for me, DH does his own work shirts etc.

lalalalyra · 07/03/2017 09:58

I am more puzzled by the idea that said child is uneasy for other members of the family to do it.

Could be as simple as he doesn't think they sort it properly or, as is the case in this house, siblings never forget one stray red sock incident...

miserableson · 07/03/2017 10:17

Lucky or very wise colleague!

Gwenhwyfar · 07/03/2017 10:51

"I am more puzzled by the idea that said child is uneasy for other members of the family to do it."

Why? I wouldn't let anyone else wash my dirty underwear.

Gwenhwyfar · 07/03/2017 10:53

" I use separate detergents to prolong colours, hot washes for whites, cold short washes for lightly soiled or delicates, woollen washes, turbo washes for soiled work clothes etc.

It makes sense to sort and wash all similar clothes together."

It's not really necessary though. I separate whites and darks, that's all.

EnormousTiger · 07/03/2017 11:11

some of my teenagers have taken over their own over the years as I don't do ironing and I don't separate whites and anything else so if they want special washing done that's up to them. Works very well. My teenage sons by the week cook 100% of their own meals too. They will be some of the best cooks at university later this year.

ijustwannadance · 07/03/2017 11:14

I used to do a couple of hours ironing on a sunday for my mum. I probably ironed more stuff before secondary school than I have in the 30 years since! I don't iron at all now.

skerrywind · 07/03/2017 11:27

Gwenhwyfar depends on the type of clothes you have. DD has a lot of dance wear, heavy on the lycra, some delicate, foundation garments,a lot of it is dark.
DS works part time and has a dark cotton uniform - he gets very sweaty so that goes in a fairly hot wash, along with underpants and socks.

I wouldn't wash dark delicate dancewear, lycra stuff, lacy bras or woollens at a high temperature.

So there is a combination of dark/light/delicate/tough fabrics.
Some clothes are not heavily soiled.
Teens can have a habit of wearing a garment once or twice. I have a 15 minute cold wash and hang outside, just to freshen them up. Some things are badly soiled and need a long hot wash.
I choose my programmes to suit what I am washing.

sameoldscene · 07/03/2017 11:32

I'd find it strange. I think it stems from a control issue. I nominated myself for all kinds of demanding household ritual responsibilities- mainly as l was being abused.
I could make sure l got enough to eat by locating myself in the kitchen. I could control my surroundings by making sure it was beyond tidy.
When children take over to such an extent- it worries me.

PenelopeFlintstone · 07/03/2017 11:37

I can't compete - mine do nothing.

WizardOfToss · 07/03/2017 11:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fairweathercyclist · 07/03/2017 12:20

What's wrong with each person doing a wash a week? It's not too long to wait

Depends how many clothes you have I suppose. I have a small wardrobe so it's wash and wear. And we all do sports, so we have to wash sportswear.

Yesterday I went swimming and washed my swimming stuff, along with the stuff I had worn to go on a bike ride at lunchtime. Today my son will come home with a muddy PE kit and tonight he has athletics and I am going for a run, so tomorrow morning there will be another load of sportswear to do.

My husband uses the gym at work so by Friday he will have started a new sportswear pile - and by then we'll have general washing too. Add in bedding and towels and I suspect we use the washing machine 6-8 times a week.

Gwenhwyfar · 07/03/2017 12:25

I still don't get the problem fairweather. If you have sports clothes you can do two washes a week each. You're not telling me that you don't have seven pairs of knickers to last you a week, and if you don't why not go and buy some?

skerrywind · 07/03/2017 13:07

What's wrong with each person doing a wash a week?

But that will ruin clothes.

So my teenager throw in black jeans, white cotton shirts, a couple of knits, bras all in the same wash?

Clothes will be ruined, white shirts will become grey, knits will become trashed being washed with jeans.

I like to make my clothes last as long as possible, keep black clothes dark, have bobble free knits and unmangled bras.

Putting everything in together is a way to trash clothes.

emma2468 · 07/03/2017 13:40

My DS loves doing the hoovering and always takes over when I get the hoover out. He's 6. I think it's great. A good way to learn responsibility

Ahardmanisgoodtofind · 07/03/2017 13:42

DS 6 sorts out our washing and puts it on the right setting has been for a year or more,he liked the buttons and display numbers so we let him crack on (he frequently corrects DP) although getting him to tidy toys is a battle. DD will happily tidy, tries to hoover and both help dry (Ds) and put away dishes (DD). All good skills and habits although I'm sure the novelty will wear off. I was a pampered child with a control freak mother who would scream at me to tidy then do it herself any way because I was too slow/not doing it right.as an adult I'm still messy, I hope my kids are the opposite

notinagreatplace · 07/03/2017 13:55

So my teenager throw in black jeans, white cotton shirts, a couple of knits, bras all in the same wash?

Yeah, why not? I do this and just wash everything on the lowest temperature cycle needed - i.e. if there's knitwear in the load, it all gets washed at 30.

I've never had any problems with this - I have some things in my wardrobe which I bought in 1999 and still look pristine.

Gwenhwyfar · 07/03/2017 13:57

I separate darks and whites. It's still usually just one wash a week - I only do the white wash from time to time.

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