Sunday, February 22, 2009

Laundry and laughter

We often get the kids to help us deal with the mountain of clean laundry that accumulates over a week (it gets washed and dried pretty much daily but the folding and ironing is rather more erratic). Everybody comes downstairs and we chuck all the clothes on Adam's and my bed and then spend 20 minutes yelling at the kids to stop throwing themselves on top of the pile and actually fold the bloody clothes. It's a lot quicker than if one person has to stand there and slog their way through the whole pile themselves.

Tonight, just as Adam was beginning to prod everyone in the direction of Mt Washmore, Tom picked up Midnite and asked for the next chapter. Adam insisted on laundry folding, the kids begged for story time and in the end a compromise was reached. Adam suggested I could lie on the bed and read while they folded the clothes around me (what an excellent idea!).



And so it was. I propped myself up in one corner of the bed, baskets of washing were dumped on my legs and I read aloud chapter 4, which was about Midnite's first trial, incarceration, and escape from gaol, while the huge pile of washing magically disappeared into each child's basket. (Mine's all in a big pile in the corner of the room to be dealt with before I go to bed.) The only problem was the kids ended up so entranced they were forgetting to fold and laughing so much I was driven to ask if they could actually hear what I was reading.

I think we should do the laundry this way all the time.

Especially if I'm the one that gets to do the reading!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mim

What a wonderful way to get the whole family involved - you all seem so close


trish

Ariane said...

That is nothing short of inspired. I see a tradition in the making. And I want to steal it! :)

Anonymous said...

Mim,

That's a fantastic way to get rid of the washing pile. I occasionally get mine to take their ironed clothes to their room, but not with every load.

Joanie said...

Wish I had thought of that years ago when my kids were little.

Megan said...

great idea!

Penny said...

Muahahahaha! A cunning plan! I like.

We downloaded Pride and Prejudice from iTunes to listen to while painting. It's good. I wanted to do some children's stories too but maybe later.

Nap Mom said...

What a great idea. Seriously, I have sometimes been tempted to take pictures of my mounds of laundry (both clean and dirty) and posting them to my blog. I really don't like to do laundry. It would be embarrassing for me to show the pictures "to the world," but it would be so funny at the same time.

I love, love, love to read out loud. :-) I like Penny's idea of downloading a book onto iTunes and listening (as a famiy) while we work.

hmmm...

yodaobi said...

Oh Fantastic.
I'm one of those weirdo's who love folding washing
Having said that I only have one kid to fold for and his clothes are still tiny n cute!

Unknown said...

yes- the family activity of clothes folding and putting away !! I am big on group particpation in this house i can tell you- i wash and ry every day but the folding seems to waint until i can get them all involved ...beautiful xx