If you work full time, would you do your 17/18 year old's washing and ironing?

[bookworm8500]

As the title says really, do you?

Daughter is 17 (18 in September).

She is doing her A-Levels and has a part time job.

She spends the rest of her time with friends or on her phone (hours and hours in her room on her phone, like so many kids this age I guess).

I work full time.

I find myself resentful standing here for hours doing her ironing whilst she is chilling in her bedroom..

I don't mind washing as it all gets chucked in, but the ironing grates on me

Do you do your almost adult child's ironing?

YABU - of course I do
YANBU - no, I don't!

I stopped doing my dd's laundry at the start of Covid when they were 13 and 14....they aren't traumatised at all.
Yabu to be doing it for a 17yo..

Washing I would do, but not ironing

You’re not unreasonable. It’s great your 17 year old is working on their a levels, has a part time job and a social life too. But they should definitely have weekly chores at this age. Even if it’s hoovering once a week, doing their ironing and cooking one night a week.

I would still do it while she’s in education but it’s no more work for me to do my DDs than it is to do my own. It saves doing extra loads if anything.

YANBU - personally in our household almost nothing gets ironed, my wife is a pro at hanging washing so that it doesn't need it other than a few select items like smart shirts etc.

That being said I have always been of the same view as you, if you are doing a load of washing do a full load so if that means adding kids clothes crack on, always seems silly refusing to do a child's washing on principle meaning the washing machine is on double the time.

However if we did iron I would absolutely draw the line there and leave that to them.

Also in return for doing the washing I would be expecting a 17 y.o to be helping out with other jobs round the house whatever they may be.

Honestly I'd probably wash her stuff along with everything else. But if she wanted something for a particular time she'd have to do it. Otherwise it would get done when I got around to itm no WAY would.i do the ironing though

Don’t do the ironing, let her either do it or not. TBF you may find her style changes to clothes that don’t need ironing very quickly 😂

I don't iron at all really.

I do their washing though. As you say, it's easy enough when you're washing anyway.

If you're feeling resentful you should definitely stop! She's old enough to do it herself

I haven't ironed anything for a few years to be honest.

I have a 22 year old DS still at home and I'll put some of his washing in with mine depending on the colour, but other than that he'll do it himself.

If he or his dad want anything ironed, they'll whip the board out themselves.

But like me, they rarely wear anything that needs it.

I don't iron for anybody.
I certainly wouldn't be doing it for a 17 year old.
Washing I throw on, but might say it needs to be hung out.
Similarly with emptying the dryer, it needs to be put away.

Mine did their own laundry from about 14. I was sick of washing and ironing stuff they’d worn for ten minutes then threw in the basket.

Washing yes. Ironing no.

I wouldn't be mad at putting everyone's clothes in a wash but if I had another (nearly) adult at home I would expect them to do some. Like if you stick a wash on before you go to work on her day off does she hang it out?

Ironing I don't do for anyone. Unless I have a specific nice outfit for a special occasion or I'm doing a sewing project.

You're doing her NO favours by continuing in this. Likewise, she should be doing other stuff like housework and cooking to help you out. You are not her staff!

My child does own anything that needs ironing, i do washing as it works for us for it all to be done together i only ironed school things

Well we've a drier so we fold as soon as clothes come out and are warm so no ironing in this house . I still do everyone's washing as I am particular about sorting colours etc but all are able to wash their own clothes if needed . I don't think it's a particularly big task

I do washing, although my teen children will put a wash on if they need something clean quickly.

I never iron for anyone. Even myself unless it's a special occasion outfit. We just wear it as it is. I don't buy fabrics that crease easily.

I used to chuck some of my DDs washing in with ours when they lived at home but I stopped doing their ironing (other than school shirts) when they were about 13/14.

We have the iron/board up permanently in a spare room and we all just iron as and when things are needed.

I don't get the ironing for hours thing, I've never done that! But I hear friends moaning about spending an entire Sunday afternoon ironing.

Mine can all use the washing machine - so if they want something specifc they can wash it - and only iron when it's really needed - sewing project or particular item for a partuclar occaion and then they often do it themselves.

Rest is shoved in family washing and I tend to do it still - Uni child comes home and with no prompting just sorted her stuff out.

MIl irons everything and on longer vists has to be stopped ironing kids the stuff and then moaning about it.

I stopped ds ironing when he criticised my skills, which aligned with him starting 6 form college. I’ve told dd I will be doing the same. I feel the same way about doing their ironing while they are lazing around watching tictok/you tube all day?

I don't iron but I put DS's wash in with ours when DS was that age, if he wanted to iron, he did it himself. He did moan a bit about the small cheap basic iron but I told him to buy one if he wanted a better one as I don't use it unless it was for something like an interview shirt

I thought ironing is dying out as many clothes are iron free. I never do any!

Of course you do! She's your child, that's what you signed up for 🤨

Washing yes I would do if I could just throw it in with mine. If they were generating huge piles they'd have to do some themselves.

I haven't ironed anything since around 2012.