I was about 12 when I started doing laundry. This was more to stop the " but I wanted to wear those jeans "or "that shirt". You want it, you wash it.

At 7 you might need an occasional supervision for things like teeth brushing -- just to make sure it is done right, but I hope you can put on your clothes

This job is very nontraditional in the sense that my kids are older and still need someone to "parent" them 24/7.

On the other hand, for once the quotation marks are honest rather than just being sloppy-assed punctuation.

My mom was stunned that I was able to transition seamlessly to cleaning and cooking for myself when I moved away from home. The thing was, I'd been handling most of my own meals for 5 years due to irregular college schedules, and while she did the laundry and cleaning it wasn't because I was unable or even unwilling but because her Monica Chandler-esque approach meant that everything was taken care of long before I would notice a chore in need of doing. When surrounded by people more slovenly than myself, it was no problem to find the motivation to clean up.

DJ -- that is very cool, except for the snake.

On Saturdays my entire family cleaned the house. We all had chores. I think it was a good idea -- because we got the idea that everyone was responsible for the state of the house. DH doesn't do a lot of regular chores ( he works 55- 65 hours,I work less than 20), but if we had kids it would be different. I was confused by a friend of mine recently - because her daughter doesn't do the dishes , because she isn't good at it. How is she going to get better?

Well, he also accidentally brought home a poison snake for me as a pet so...

It's the thought that counts?

I expect my not-quite five-year-old to dress herself. And to brush her own teeth, although I do supervise sometimes to make sure she's doing it well.

Franny too, hence my confusion. Isaac isn't quite up to dressing himself yet, at least not without supervision and assistance.

I find it interesting in how "au pair" is described these days. When I was in my teens (OK, a long time ago) au pairs were European girls who came to the U.S. for a summer and were "mother's helpers" - they'd provide back-up child care, a little light housework; they were here to improve their English, earn a little money, see a little of the world.

Actually true au pairs (nowadays rarely from Western Europe) have very strict regulations about what you can and can't ask them to do. They only stay 1 year, are not supposed to work more than 40 hours, should never to be left with the children overnight, etc. Their stipends are not that significant, but you have to feed and house them.

We had French au pairs growing up, as much for the help as for my Mom who had only moved to the US for my Dad. My sister also had au pairs. She had really good luck with most of them. I still am in touch with the one from Brazil. She was awesome. The others came from Lithuania, Poland, and South Africa.

I could use an au pair.

I remember having to show a dorm-mate how to fold a contour sheet the first week of school freshman year. Her mom had shown her how to do the actual laundry (complete with written instructions), but she was clueless when it came to folding.

I don't think that's really a class or pampering thing. I've been doing my own laundry for an awful lot of years and I'm still hopeless at that. (Also never heard it called that - I assume it's the same as a fitted sheet?)

Also never heard it called that - I assume it's the same as a fitted sheet?

I was just wondering that. If so...it's an art, and I don't judge anyone for not being able to do it well. I only started getting halfway sure it was possible after Hec was showing off here some whiles back.

I can't fold them, even with instructions. I needa second person to do it.