Teaching our teens the life skills they will need to live on their own is a gift we give them. We all want them to become independent young adults who can function in the world. This is a sign of you being a good and loving parent. One of the first things you must realize is that YES your teen will probably make a few blunders when it comes to their laundry. This is WHY we tend to do it for them rather than let them learn. If they ruin a few pieces of their favorite clothing in the process they will quickly LEARN!
Teaching Your Teens to do Laundry | Raleigh Laundromat
Very few kids will actually embrace this life skill. After all how many of us truly love to do the laundry? It is one of those dreaded chores that even as adults is not rated as our favorite thing to do. But trust me…you will do your teen a huge disservice by not allowing for time to develop a good laundry routine before they fly the coop!
One of the first things to do is show your teen how the washer and dryer are to be operated. Take enough time to explain, as many times as needed, how the various settings work. Also explain how these settings will vary on other machines they may use when away from home. Our Raleigh laundromat, for instance, has more commercial machines that will have different type settings. More than likely when away they will need to remember those machines will also take money to operate so be sure they know to have it.
The next important step is to show them a thing or two about laundry detergent. You of course have your preferred brand, but explain why and what other brands might work for them also. The same goes for dryer sheets verses fabric softeners. Stain removers are also something that needs to be explained. Why and How to apply them.
Once they have a good understanding of these important steps you can begin to implement a laundry routine for them. Pick a day of the week that is theirs alone to do their own laundry. This way they can do their laundry without interference of other family members clothing. You can also continue to teach and supervise, but as time goes on they will become able to do their laundry alone. Our previous blog has a really great formula for doing laundry that is easy for teens to use. Check it out!
Laundry Express can help you keep on top of your family’s laundry needs. Take advantage of all our laundry services today! Contact us with all your questions or to learn more about our state of the art Raleigh laundromat!
