As the days of the 2013 Flats Challenge (hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry) pass, I realize more and more how much our generation would be inconvenienced by this whole process.
I remember growing up in Mexico and watching my grandfather go to work on his carpentry projects while my grandmother stayed in and did all the cooking, and washing. That was her full time gig. Tend to the kids (which was easy when you could kick everyone out to play outside with dirt and all that good stuff.) these days, my kids want iPad time, or Adventure Time on tv, or to play with their Legos. It's hard to get them outside without hearing "but mom..."
Grandma did all the cooking from scratch... One of the lucky kids got to run to the tortilla maker down the street for a fresh kilo of tortillas. Another one of the kids would go down to the quickmart and pick up some limes or whatever grandma needed.
She also did all the washing... I remember the sink in the back was made of concrete and it had the ripples built in to look like a washboard. She would fill it up, add soap, and scrub away. Then came the rinsing and wringing to place all the clothes up on the line... Simple times, no Dancing with the Stars... no Law & Order... just a day filled with stuff to do to keep your family running and content.
Sometimes I think I like that simplicity... that I had never introduced my kids to all these silly gadgets like DS, or Wii, or iPads etc. It's hard to break their habit (and mine too)... it's also difficult to parent our kids like our grandparents once did. We let all these shiny objects distract us... we take for granted all these advances like washing machines and dryers. We forget that people all around us are struggling to meet their family's needs. I hope to take with me the experience of hand washing for future use if we are ever in a tight situation. I hope to one day educate others on how easily hand washing diapers or clothes can be if it is added into the daily routine. I think our region in Texas can definitely benefit from this experience... I'll get out there and help someone someday... I just have to get my crazy life in order... Fostering children + biological children = Madhouse! lol
Is hand washing ideal? No. Can it work? Yes.
The Flats Challenge is almost over! I think I can make it these last couple of days... after that, my washer will be put to work again ;)
~Norm
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