Mind like a steel trap

I am trying to do some little things to make my summer easier...and also I am doing lots of self-talk with myself about making them take more responsibility. It is SO much quicker to just do lots of things myself, and I have to listen to lots less whining and complaining that way. But I don't want them to think that clothes magically appear in their drawers and their towels grow wings and fly up to the towel bars.

I decided that they need to start sorting their own laundry. Todd and I have one of those big rectangular things with the 3 bags, but those don't really fit in their spaces, and they don't really have enough clothes for those big bags. When Todd was working at CS last week, I had him bring home 6 big stacking baskets.  I put three in their bedrooms last Thursday.

Henry asked me what they were for when he saw them, and I told him that we were going to sort our laundry. He asked for more details, and I said...."We're going to put underwear and socks in one, jeans in one, and everything else in the other one." And that was the last time we mentioned it. And, honestly, I really don't remember this...but it must have happened.

Yesterday (Monday) was the first chance I've had to go up there and label the baskets, and I figured we would have a practice session after school with whatever dirty laundry was up there. I carefully made little notecards with words and pictures to tape on the sides of the baskets. When I got up there to put it together....Henry's laundry was already perfectly sorted. Jeans, underwear, and everything else.

I chatted Todd. No, he had not done any sorting.

When I picked Henry up from school, I asked him if he had done that. Yes, he said. I asked him how he knew what to do. "You told me....underwear, jeans, everything else."

He can't remember to close the back door, but this little episode thrilled me to my core and gave me hope that they will be functioning adults. It's the little things.

In other summer laundry news, I had a Eureka! (and...duh) moment. I really only have 2 summer running shorts that I like and 2 pairs of the super light socks that I like for hot weather. I run 4X/week, so I have to do laundry at least 2X during the week. SO....I got on Amazon and ordered everything Todd and I will need to be able to exercise for a week without washing. I'm so smart. ;)