It’s no secret that I loathe ironing. I let the pile grow and grow until one of two things happens: either it becomes taller than my waist and falls over, wherein I am guilted into ironing or the Hubby comes to me and says, “I have no shirts, shall I go to work naked and shivering?” wherein I am guilted into ironing.
Imagine my surprise on Sunday morning when my teen came whining to me {with fifteen minutes until go time} that he had no shirt ironed for church. I ‘only’ had three more people to get ready, a screaming baby who refused to get dressed and a pounding headache from a cold that had decided me to visit only the day before. So I refused. I refused to iron his shirt and told him he’d have to do it himself. He looked at me like I was possessed.
He thought his reply would get him out of the job. “But Mom, I don’t know how to iron a shirt.” My retort: “Oh man, then it’s your lucky day, because I’m going to teach you by talking YOU through it, step by step.”
I then proceeded to give him an Ironing 101 lesson. He didn’t do too bad. As he slipped the warm shirt on, I felt a piece of my burden slipping off my shoulders. Wow. I will never have to iron a dress shirt for this person again. I mean, I can – if I want to. But I don’t HAVE to, because he can do it for himself.
Isn’t that what parenting is about? Raising, guiding and helping our children along, teaching them the ropes of life until they can do for themselves what we’ve always done for them? I’ve gotta say, it was a proud moment for me.
But I am a realist and ever wary of the fact that the new learning may wear off quickly, causing the boy could be crying again next Sunday that he ‘doesn’t know how to iron a shirt’, so I created a little reminder for him. An Ironing 101 How-To, if you will.
I’ve turned it into a printable for those of you who’d like to torture your growing sons along with me. You can download it here. I’ll be keeping a laminated copy of this right by the ironing board for my manchild. {Insert large smile on my face here} Enjoy!
ps. This is NOT the rule or law on ironing a dress shirt. It’s just how I was taught to do it and seems to work pretty well.
12 comments:
I wonder how many of your dear readers actually iron? Next you can do a tutorial for ironing sheets and pjs :-) I bet I'm your only reader who irons those two things.
Maybe you should have Chris iron his shirt on Saturday, if you can remember.
I don't like ironing... but yes, sometimes is absolutely needed so I do it. But only in these situations. ;)
I think you are doing great teaching Chris. I think is so important for someone to be taught those kind of things.
Once I had a flatmate that his mom has always done everything for him, so the first time he went to life out of his house, he didn't know anything... He didn't even know how to boil pasta. I was so shocked... So you are doing a great favor to Chris!
I own an ironing board and an iron. End of Story.
I iron in dire emergencies. Also I think I pretty much iron the same way. Must be the best way. =)
I don't do it much since I left a lovely iron shaped melted spot in my parent's living room carpet.
I will have to print it out to learn myself. I do like the look of ironed shirts.
If it requires ironing I usually have to think twice about buying it...thank goodness I can usually get by with a nice short sleeve shirt when wearing a suit on days that require "professional" attire.
I also don't like ironing and have a pile just like you described. Our son also has learned the skill of ironing shirts and is really good at it. I try to get our kids to iron and am willing to pay a $1 per shirt but rarely do they take me up on it. They have to be really desparate for money. I plan to tackle the pile while watching general conference.
No offense to that darling hubby of yours, but perhaps he should take a peek at the tutorial as well? After all, no need to send him out naked and shivering. :)
Well done, good momma! Can't wait until my 5 year old turns 13....because really it's my little boys dress shirts that create my over flowing pile of ironing.
Melancholy,
To the Hubby's defense, he does iron if he's in a pinch, but honestly with the amount of time he spends at work, coaching our kids in sports and serving in church,I don't know when he'd have the time to sit and iron for a stretch like I do. I seriously have no excuse not to do it for him.
I also loathe ironing! Here is my dirty little secret....I never do it. My husband never walked around in dirty wrinkled shirts before we were married so I knew he could tackle this job all by himself. Now that he wears dress shirts 6-7 days a week, our lovely dry cleaners has the pleasure of that task. That is one bill I am happy to pay. Shhhh...don't tell Travis.
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