I talked to Vicki about this. Actually, she said we needed to talk. Let me get my notes. Yes, I took notes!
For Sweetie Heart who doesn't like to change her clothes. She's a minimalist! Duh! She likes what she likes. At this point she doesn't care what others think, which can also be good. However, she does need to change her clothes. Vicki said I need to sit down with Sweetie Heart and talk to her about her favorite outfit. Acknowledge that it is her favorite and she wants to wear it all the time. But that I am in charge of keeping her clothes clean and I can't do that when she wears it all the time. So if she brings the outfit to me I will make sure it is clean for her to wear. However, if I don't get to it or she doesn't bring it to me after she's worn it twice, she needs to have a backup outfit. She picks out a backup outfit and a second backup outfit. I commit to having at least one of these outfits clean at all times...so long as she brings the outfit(s) to me to be washed.
I talked to Sweetie Heart about that this morning. She got super excited about it! When I told her that I would commit to making sure one of those outfits were clean at all times, she got super excited. In retrospect, I think she had a look of relief on her face. Finally I was getting her! Now this is going to take some changes for me. I usually do laundry twice a week, Mondays lights and Fridays darks and whites. So I will need to schedule out the fill in laundry (towel, sheets etc) for random times during the week and throw her clothes in those loads. And now that I look at it, no wonder she keeps wearing the same clothes even when they are dirty. She wants to keep wearing them, but knows she won't get them back for a week. DUH! Then she still has to wear something else and remember what laundry day it is and what if the outfit is dark and light. Very confusing. So we appear to have worked this out.
For Sweet Girl, the girl of many outfits. Vicki said she has too much to choose from and that she only needs seven outfits. I agree whole heartedly! We just went through her clothes last week. I got rid of a bin full of stuff. We were also doing the switch over though. I think she still has too much stuff. She definitely has more than seven outfits. And seeing as I just folded a big laundry basket full of her clothes Monday it would appear so. So maybe I will have her pick out her seven favorite outfits and see how that goes. I'll probably put stuff in a box and see if she asks for any of it. See what is manageable and what she can keep off the floor.
She's at that age where she loves everything. So when I ask if she likes something and wants to keep it she says, "YES! YES!" That gets us nowhere fast. But then again when I get rid of stuff she doesn't usually ask for it. Maybe she wants to be a minimalist, too. She just doesn't know how to with all the stuff. She also loves gifts, so when people give us their outgrown clothes she wants to keep them. I am grateful for the generosity of my friends and family. I understand that the kids like to have "new" clothes. That means I need to let go of the old stuff. I don't have to save so much stuff. Hurray!!
I like what Lori S. said. When your kids get old enough/ willing to do their own laundry let it go. But Sweet Girl is 4. She does help me do laundry, but does not take the initiative to do it on her own. I don't expect her to at this age. But when she's ready to do that, I'm all for it!
So that's where I am. Great information! Thanks Vicki!!
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