Sally Hepworth’s laundry rule: Teaching responsibility at home

In Sally Hepworth’s house, doing laundry is a task for everyone, children included. She’s a firm believer in the idea that taking care of one’s belongings is a lesson best learned early. Consequently, chores are split evenly among the family. Should any child neglect their duties, they find themselves without clean clothes to wear.

Her strategy involves five laundry baskets, each marked with a name. Whoever's name is on the basket takes responsibility for its contents, reinforcing the idea that chores don’t magically complete themselves and refuting the notion of a parent as a mere servant. Sally Hepworth’s approach has received mixed reactions, with some praising her method and others questioning its effectiveness.

It’s not uncommon for children to leave their clothes scattered around rather than put them in a basket, expecting a parent, typically the mother, to pick them up after them. Sally refuses to subscribe to this behavior. In her view, laundry is a shared responsibility, and those unwilling to contribute can expect to re-wear their soiled garments. What does this household system entail?

At the entrance to the laundry room in Sally’s home are five baskets, each bearing a name, signaling where each family member should deposit their dirty laundry. Should the children or the husband not bring down their clothes, Sally won’t scavenge their rooms for them. She washes everything collectively, and once the clothes are clean and dry, they go into a blue basket ready for collection. Children have specific cabinets in their rooms for storing their assorted garments. Sally remains indifferent to whether the clothes are neatly folded. This approach ensures fairness and absolves the mother from blame for any missing clean laundry pieces.

Sally's system has ended the constant inquiries about the whereabouts of clothing items. Everyone is aware of their responsibility to keep their belongings organized. If an item goes missing, they must find an alternative. This clear and equal system has relieved Sally of feeling like a servant in her own home.

Her Facebook post on the matter garnered a lot of attention. The majority of comments lauded her for instilling independence in her children. A handful of critics argued that her methods might promote neglect, suggesting that children shouldn't have to wear dirty clothing. Some voiced that her system unnecessarily complicates family life.