Life As Their Mom: Flats & Hand Washing Challenge

Monday, May 27, 2013

Flats & Hand Washing Challenge–Day 7

Thank you Lord, it’s Monday, and that means that the flats and handwashing challenge is done, DONE, DONE!

And not only is it done, but I made it through the whole week without giving up or quitting! There might have been of irrational hatred of the washing of the diapers towards the end, but I didn’t let that slow me down. This morning, before I even made my first cup of coffee, I carted yesterday’s diapers to the bathroom, tossed them into the tub and washed those suckers, and then hung them out to dry. Then I sat down, smiled, and put a pocket with a disposable liner (because it’s poop time since he chowed down on some avocado last night) on Mason’s naked butt, and did a happy sigh for knowing that I wouldn’t have to deal with another poopy flat.

Now, for the very last video for the challenge:

And my very last prompt for it:
What did we learn?
Well, I learned that I really ****ing hate handwashing. It’s one thing for like weekends spent at a family members house, or dealing with an incredibly gross poopy diaper that I don’t want stinking up the diaper bag when I’m gone for the day. I’ve done all of that. But doing it all week in my house, with my washer and dryer right in the laundry room off my kitchen? Uh-uh, no way.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to know I can do it, and I think if I had gone the bucket and plunger route like some of the other participants, I might have not been so bothered by it. As a matter of fact, I plan to pick up a bucket just so I can try washing the flats (which I do plan to keep in our rotation), fitteds, and prefolds with it. Also, as much as I dislike the feel of fabric that has been line dried, I want to get a different outside drying thing (maybe not a rack) because the diapers just smelled cleaner after drying outside in the sun. My husband definitely enjoyed that.

Overall, this is doable – which I already said – and as the challenge is to see if this is a viable option for families in poverty, I have to say yes, it completely is. It takes time and effort, but you know what, it’s still better than buying diapers every week, or making a child stay in a wet soiled diaper for hours because you want to make a diaper last longer. It’s not fun, well from someone who has been poor, and is still what some consider to be poor, being poor already isn’t fun. You do what you gotta do.

The last of my photos.