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Picking your battles

6 replies

JustFabulous · 12/08/2012 11:29

I have just been upstairs and found a basket full of DS1's clothes. Some, if not all, I have not seen him wear since I last washed, dried, folded them up and put them in his room to put away. He has form for putting things to wash instead of away in his drawers. These are clothes that have not been worn at all, not things that could have been worn again. I have told him over and over again not to do it. I have told him to put things away in the right place. I have stopped putting things away for him and this is the result. I have told him I will stop washing his clothes if he doesn't start putting them away in drawers instead of away on the floor.

Also, he has a tub full of messy clothes. Clothes which were perfectly fine until he got glue/paint/oil on them because he wouldn't change as he "won't get them messy." I did the washing yesterday and discovered a fairly new pair of trousers now ruined as he got paint and glue on them and didn't tell me.

I really could cry.

This has come on top of him leaving the freezer not shut properly for the 3rd time in a month and having to throw some food away. He is now banned from going near the freezer at all.

What can I do about the clothes situation? He complains he has none (he does) but I have told him if he put them in the right place he would know where they are (instead of all shoved in one drawer) and would have more to wear if he didn't keep ruining them.

I am Blush at the length of this but it is gettling me down.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Sirzy · 12/08/2012 11:33

From what you have said it sounds like he is more than old enough to use the washing machine?

If so give him a quick lesson in how to use it and then tell him he can do his own washing and ironing. When all his clean clothes are in the wash basket he will soon realise that he needs to take some more responsibilty

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 12/08/2012 11:37

Put all the unworn clothing into bin bags as it appears and wait to see how long it takes him to notice?

Have you got a nearby launderette? If he insists on washing clean clothes tell him to take them there rather than wasting your water, electricity and washing powder.

JustFabulous · 12/08/2012 12:08

He really isn't bothered about clothes. It is just down to pure laziness about putting them away. I am currently on washload 4, with 2 more to do. Sunday is always a day of washing as I do all 3 beds so I am not impressed at unnecessary washing. I have told him now. The only way around it is if I go back to putting his clean clothes away for him but he is 11, so I think it is more than time he sorted himself out.

My 7 year old has started shoving his clothes anywhere in the last 2 weeks now.

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brightermornings · 12/08/2012 12:12

My dd is heading that way she's going away for a few says I've told her when she's back things are changing.
I'm going to suggest a 10 minute tidy up every day. I will reduce her pocket money if it's not done.
She's 10 I'm also going to fill some bin liners with her stuff which is in piles ie just chucked anywhere. We will go through it together if it's not sorted it will get ebayed/thrown etc.

NoComet · 12/08/2012 12:25

The mummy laundry system is liable to become faulty here too!

Also caused by inability to put dirty things to wash and clean things away. Aggravated by tidying up, worn for five minutes things, into the washing heap.

NoComet · 12/08/2012 12:26

Just about cured not reporting paint stains, which used to drive me nuts!

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