training

The Sunday night scenario at our house often plays out the same. You think I'd catch on and change it...but no, I'm not quite that bright.  Sundays afternoons and evenings we have really been trying to keep 'work free' and make it a down day, so laundry is not usually on my radar.  However, at bedtime, the boys inevitably make a grand announcement that they are out of pants.

I know, I know..."plan ahead"..."do it Saturday"...yeah, yeah, blah, blah...I get it.  In theory.

In any case, the scene played the same again last night as Bryce made the plea as he was about to climb into bed..."Oh Mom...I forgot that I'm out of pants...can you do my laundry?"

I sigh deeply, torn between making him do the laundry himself, of just dragging the hamper down and taking the 5 minutes to just do it.  The second is the simpler, easier option.  Todd, of course, is the strong one...  He says "Make him do it.  Don't you do it."  I know he's right, so I tell Bryce to head down and put it in the washer, (I'll compromise and put it in the dryer before I go to bed).  He starts with the questions...(is this an inherent 'man' thing?)..."What do I set it to?  How much soap?"  But this one I have headed off at the pass...I have hung written instructions directly above the washer.  He's pretty much excuse-less.  Somehow he still manages to come up with a question that I can't answer without dragging myself downstairs to see what he's talking about.  Of course, I'm thinking..."It would be so much easier to just do this myself..." but Todd says again..."Do NOT do this for him!"  Ugh...he's right, but it would just be so much quicker to send the boy to bed.  But, instead, I come along side him, reiterate the instructions, point out the dials...again.

Tired as I was...today, (in a less-tired, more intentional state of mind) I am glad that my 11-year old does his own laundry.  I'm glad that in the midst of my to-do's for today, fold his laundry isn't among them, and I will, instead, just plop his load on his bed to be folded and put away.  I'm glad I didn't take the easiest route last night, because in the long run, it is so worth it.  And I'm glad that he's learning to be a responsible young man...and that probably, someday, some woman will also appreciate my efforts...when what looks something like this for me...

Obviously this is neither me nor Bryce....

will look like this for her...

And for the record, this isn't Bryce either.  hee hee...

Nothing like a man that gets so happy-smiley about doing laundry, right??  ;)