Dear Daughter,

The day has come. I always knew it would. Today was the very 1st time you scoffed at me that you didn't have anything to wear. EVERYTHING is dirty. Despite owning 7 pairs of school pants, and only being 2 days into the school week, somehow all of your pants have dissapeared into the dirty clothes hamper.

I am trying to be patient, kind, and understanding. I remember what it was like to be a tween. I remember when my parents would share stories of their less fortunate childhood, and how I was "lucky". I hated that. I swore I would never do that to my own children.

Well, news flash sister. When I was your age I had 2 pairs of jeans. 1 pair were Sasson brand, and I hated them because they weren't acid washed. They looked like farmer jeans, which was so not the style at the time. The other pair were a trendy pair of Jordache. Grandma H bought them for me. They were acid washed denim. They were awsomeness. I had to wear them gently, and fold them up neatly at night so I could wear them a 2nd time, and sometimes even a third time, or else I would have had to wear one of the long skirts my seriously dated grandmother bought me every year. What did she want me to look like, a nun?

In all seriousness Sis, you have no one to blame but yourself. You change clothes everyday when you get home, even though I've asked you not too. You know how you turn off the kitchen faucet on me while I am doing dishes, and tell me "water conservation mom"? Well smarty pants, we waste 10X the water washing YOUR wardrobe than I do washing your dishes.

There are 7 days in a week, 6 family members who wear clothing, 2 dogs, and 6 sets of bedding to be washed. Tuesday is your day. I washed your bedding so you could come home to fresh clean sheets at bedtime. I washed one load of your laundry. I couldn't believe you crammed 3 LOADS into 1 hamper!?! You know how to use the washing machine, right? Well...use it!

As of today I will no longer be a slave to your wardrobe. You will get one load of laundry washed and dried from me each week, on Tuesday. Anything you need above that is up to you. The washer is free to use on Sundays.

Thanks for starting my day off right. After all the hard work I've done to kee the house running, take you and your siblings to countless practices, birthday parties, and games, this is the thanks I get? By the way...I still totally wear my fave jeans 2-3 times before I wash them when I can. If I didn't I'd surely never get to wear them thanks to my selfish daughter thinking her clothing takes priority.

I thought I raised you to be a kind, and loving spirit. I guess I didn't read the fine print. Apparently there is a mother daughter clause in which at the age of almost 12 my daughter would lose her kind and loving spirit, but only for dear old mom.

Have fun wearing those Khaki pants you hate tomorrow. I left your fave pair crammed in the bottom of the hamper where you put them, dear.

Love,
Mom