This week, I launched my little gift book, Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening. I’ve done dozens of media interviews recently, having to explain the scary title and answer to a few judgmental talk show hosts about why I gave my daughter a laundry pass so many times that at age 18 she had to be threatened to wash her own clothes.
A few moms will relate to my reasons: 1) She was busier than I was; 2) I cared more than she did; and, 3) every once in a while, kids say ‘thank you’ in ways that make doing their laundry a sweet privilege.
Here is one of those I got this week. An ‘Open Letter to My Mom,’ posted on her blog column. You might need a tissue.
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Becky Blades, Author of Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone, and contributor to Huffington Post, Oprah.com, Scary Mommy, and Grown & Flown.
I loved doing my kids laundry right up until they left for college. I even wrote a blog post about it a few years ago. Now they do their own.
Ok, so I’ve always loved doing laundry. Just sayin’.
Becky, that was a wonderful, awesome-in-every-way letter. Thanks for the kleenex warnings
Mine did her own laundry from the time she was about 12. White uniform shirts were often gray but I was the one who turned an entire load red once. So that’s probably why she decided to do her own. Now she brings her laundry to my house to do so we can visit and she can save money. What I DID do was make her a hot breakfast every morning I possibly could, and pack her a good lunch. Food for the brain, I guess was my thinking. She is about to graduate college Summa Cum Laude, and still tries to get breakfast hot on campus even though she lives off. The letter from your daughter was Wonderful. Mine would totally relate to the stiletto heels :)
Wow, Pandamom. Good job! What a great way to bond – over the laundry. I’ll be quoting you.
I remember this & like it as much now as i did then. Lovely.
Mine are 20 and 26 and I would do their laundry (and still do when they’re visiting, if needed) if they toss it in with mine. I don’t fold it though…same for my husband. We have many, many laundry baskets, and they overflow.
Laundry and tears….good way to start off the day!
Oh, Ellen. Indeed. I’m afraid a few mornings of laundry and tears are in my future as I launch my girls.
I did the laundry because, if I didn’t, it would take over the world. We had a rule — if it bothers you, pick it up, clean it up, or take care of it. My tolerance was much lower than my son’s and now that I know what a bright young man he’s grown !into, I can’t help but think that might have been strategic.
Exactly, Ruth. Laundry WILL take over the world if we don’t keep it in check. Just so hard to teach kids that.
Well, SCREW the laundry — and the explaining about it! You did good and you’ve got a letter to prove it! Kudos to you — and to your lovely daughter. :)
Thanks, Jackie. I think SCREW THE LAUNDRY should have been the last page of the book.