Laundry

Here's to a relatively quiet day. (We're not doing anything more exciting than paying bills and catching up on housework, but I am a big fan of unexciting days.) Katie's headed out to spend the night at her friend Madison's house tonight, and Evan has his friend Joe coming over. We send one out, but another comes in so it's not like we will really be down by one child this evening. Well, Katie and Evan will be out and have a friend in if the laundry is done before 5:00 p.m.
The whole herd of lovies found themselves in hot water over the laundry earlier. I went on strike a couple of years ago, and the kids found themselves stuck doing their own laundry for a year-and-a-half as a result. Last Fall, I finally relented and began to do their washing again with a few provisos. The kids are expected to turn the clothes right side out, to place dirty clothes in the hamper unless wet, and clean clothes are to be put away within 24 hours. I don't feel that I am being unreasonable with my expectations. That does not mean those expectations are being met.
I deal with the insubordination of my offspring in several different ways. Clothing left inside out or layered will be deposited back in the offender's bedroom floor. (Such deposits are frequently accompanied by a snide comment if said offender is at home, especially if it is not the first laundry offense of the day. Needless to say, the kids rather hope for Mom to do the laundry when they are not at home.) If someone runs out of clean clothing or towels because dirty items did not make it into the hamper, that's not really Mom's problem is it? Clothing that is not put away within 24 hours of washing becomes property of Mom for one week. This created quite a back up since I had to store most of the kids' clothes in the master bedroom and closet the first couple of weeks before they took the policy seriously. They are now better about putting away, but I am also really good at reminding them to do so.
Occasionally we all get a bit lazy. This week the laundry piled up. Today I started to get caught up. After multiple laundry infractions had been committed and largely ignored or half-way dealt with by my children (who were busy watching t.v.), I pretty much just had a Mom Moment. I informed the whole herd of kiddies that they would get a load of laundry in or else. They put in a partial mismatched load. I yelled. Home and Away overnight privileges have been revoked unless all laundry is done by 5:00. That is doable, but it will require them to really stay on it.