Not ironing your child's clothes is a sign of neglect

[Caligula]

Give me strength. My mother is here. The title is just one of her gems of wisdom. I've ended up having a "discussion" with her which basically consisted of her going through all the people she knows - au-pairs, nannies, childminders, neighbours, Auntie Bridget, Auntie Kathleen, Cousin Annie, Mrs Clark up the road, Mrs Lewis down the road, etc. etc. who all say you can tell a child is neglected by the wrinkles in their clothes, while I was reduced to saying "yeah but am I bovvered though?" "look at my face, does it look bovvered?" through this catalogue of gurus who believe that ironing = good childcare.

Roll on later on, when I'm driving her home!!!

Yes well I think you Mum is right. I can't understand why anyone would want their children to wear creased clothes how nasty and horrible almost abuse in my book.

Caligula, can I congratulate you on having got so far in your life without killing your mum.

becky: muslins are a lazy mum's best friend! you can fold them up and put them under baby's head, and then if they're sick you only have to change the muslin, not the cot sheet.

But I would never never never iron one. it is a waste of precious leccy.

I know somebnody that apart of ironing undies for all the family, irons all the bedlinen. I have to say that I don't know what I found worse, if learning she was so exigent regarding creases or the told off I got when I left a little smile out.

hardly any of our clothes get ironed - only shirts pretty much. my friend for some strange reason irons pyjamas, sheet AND pants? WHY?!!

on your behalf caligula. my dh thinks i neglect our children because they generally pour themselves a bowl of cereal

I have to say, I have never ironed anything in my life, and don't intend to start. My dh does his shirts for work, shock horror! Well why would I do them?
Isn't it futile, things get creased as soon as you put them back in the cupboard or on

I'd never thought of the environmental argument not to iron before.

Hmmm. Another one to add to the armoury then.

Caligula. I don't know what your mum would think of me, then. Yesterday when I went to peg out a newly-washed voile curtain I realised it was completely uncreased so decided to cut out the middle man and simply hung it back up on its rail at the window! My sister would no doubt claim that we'll all get double pneumonia from having an unaired curtain in the house.

My mum used to iron everything when we were little: pants, pyjamas, bedlinen, tea towels (yes tea towels), my dad's hankies. She would then fold it all perfectly and make little pyramids with the pants folded in half and laid out in a sort of fan shape. A few years ago before dd was born me and dh lived at my mum's for a month between houses. I discovered she still does it - she ironed all our clothes while we were out at work one day & she got home first. However she hates cleaning and cooking so I guess this is just one of her little foibles. I never iron anything. I buy clothes for all of us that will not crease and hang them up to dry, then put them straight away. No lying about in basket = no creases. DH occasionally irons a shirt or a pair of trousers for himself.

Caligula, you are a saint for putting up with this tripe so patiently!

Ironing makes your children appear well cared for and smart looking. But thats all!

Why do you think they invented lycra??
I iron ds's shirts as they are cotton and if they are ironed they are more flowy and baggy which is better in the summer heat (they go stiff when wrinkly) but when winter comes his long sleeved t shirts, vests and jumpers can take their chances in the tumble dryer.

MIL did the ironing for us once, when ds was just born she insisted on taking the baby's washing home and doing it for us (what an angel! has since blotted copybook but this was a truly appreciated gesture) and bless her she brought it all back at 9am perfectly ironed, down to his tiny socks and scratch mitts. How the heck do you iron a scratch mitt??!!

SenoraPostrophe, I'm with you on the muslins on the cot sheet - fantastic!

By not ironing we are thinking of our children's future and that of future generations. We are saving energy which is a finite resource (apparently). My advise to do your part to save the planet - is stop ironing!!

Hate ironing
My mum irons EVERYTHING you can't stand still for more than a second and she'll have the clothes off yer back and the Morphy Richards all over them

I'll say this quietly ..... I send my ironing to the lovely ironing lady in the village on Tuesday and it's ironed,folded or on hangers on Wednesday ..... Am I going to be shot now ??!!

Nope, we leave all the crappy items like shirts for our cleaner to iron....She does it so much better than me. DH is brill at ironing his shirts, but I would rather have a nice meal and a glass of wine in the evenings than ironing.

i think not ironing it slatternly behaviour
what ARE you all so busy doing?
get off mn adn get yer irons out

I only iron if we are going to a wedding/ christening and dh and ds need a shirt! Normally he wears polo shirts to work (electrition) and they are crease free after hanging on clothes airer or line. All the kids clothes look fine to me and after you've worn them for 10 mins they're all smoothed out. Only really buy anti iron clothes if I can help it. My mum thinks I'm slovenly though especially as the house is always a tip! She had a perfect house and twins and an 18 month old and she managed!

lol. Because perfectly ironed clothes NEVER look slightly crumpled after being worn / stuffed in drawers?!

Anyway it appears to be fashionable to wear the crinkly clothes at the moment! (Which is great for packing to go on holiday!!)

I had a friend once who had a t-shirt which read:

"Boring women have immaculate homes."

I think I need to make one.

And one for my son:

"If I'm not filthy, I haven't learned anything today."

or

"They aren't wrinkles. They are a powerful icon symbolizing that my Mum is perfect because she plays with me."

Another vote here for buying anti-iron clothes. I haven't ironed anything since my husb. took early retirement from work and no longer needed work shirts each day. In fact the iron and the board are both in the loft. Hmmmm...must clear out the loft one day before the ceiling falls down.