Kids Doing Their Own Laundry by Age 8--Here's How!

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About me: Hey there! My name is Shauna Klippel. I have a wonderful husband and together we have seven children. While I love things like, vintage fashion, keeping organized and exercising, what I love even more is dedicating myself to this family we have created. Helping my children to be happy and successful in their lives is number one on the list for me right now. Together, my husband and I work hard to instill a good work ethic, love and spirituality in our children's lives and in our own lives as well. Part of what makes life busy is homeschool, frequent travels to San Francisco, and regular old household work that has to be done in order for our home to run happily and efficiently. And this is the life that I love the most! Check out my blog at klippel.blogspot.com.

Here I will share with you, tried and true tips and the belief I have behind having children do consistent "work" in their homes. 

Like most of us, as parents we are always looking for opportunities for our children to work. We want our children to be productive people. Gone are the days where we work from sun up to sun down, performing hard tasks that could actually be described as labor. Except for some, this just isn't our reality anymore. So, while manual labor may not be on the back porch, we can expect our children to do major household tasks such as laundry. And this is just what we've done. We've taught our children to do their own laundry from a young age and they are expected to do it weekly. Keep in mind that these tips are tried and true. And, I'm not going to share anything that's rocket science, really. Read on to find out how I get my kids to do their own laundry...it's really quite simple. 

Shauna's Four Oldest Kids

AGE 5:  

First off,

Tax Series #3: What are some easy ways to file my return? (Includes Coupon Code!)

Tax time. It rolls around every year. How are you going to get that pesky return filed? Here at Money Hip Mamas, we're here to help. There are a million different tax preparation services, so I polled my friends (many of which are tax accountants themselves) to get the scoop on the best options out there.

Do-It-Yourself Software

For A Basic Return

Taxslayer.com - My good accountant friend Nate has

Getting Your Toddler (or Baby!) to Sleep In

How much would you pay to get your toddler or child to always sleep in (or at least happily stay in bed) until a decent hour? If your answer is $30, keep reading...

***UPDATE: Just used this clock successfully with my 10-month-old as well. I love my life.

Not too long ago, I was fighting the almost-daily battle of a two-year-old waking up too early. I found the most glorious solution and have been singing its praises so loudly and so often, I finally decided to write up a blog post so I can send a link rather than re-typing my explanation of this marvelous invention.

It's called the "Ok to Wake Children's Alarm Clock and Nightlight." Lauren recommended it to me a long time ago and I must admit, I hesitated several months before buying it ($30 isn't a fortune, but I'm pretty cheap and was skeptical it would work). By the time I got frustrated and exhausted enough to order it, I almost paid extra for the one-day shipping. In addition to a toddler, I had a newborn and was desperate for any extra sleep.

How It Works:

Budget Boot Camp - To Do #1: Calculate Your Net Worth

Pop Quiz: 

How is it possible that rich, famous MULTI-millionaires can end up not only broke, but in huge amounts of debt? I hate to call out the beloved “U Can’t Touch This” creator, but MC Hammer is the perfect example. And how is it possible that my own dear Grandpa was able to comfortably provide for his large family and have plenty saved for retirement working as a humble dairy delivery man? Budgeting, baby. Many people think the solution to financial stress is to make more money, but that's just one part of the equation. Without budgeting, it doesn't matter how much money you make because it won't ever be enough. Not only will budgeting help you avoid financial disaster, it's how you'll reach your financial goals (Don't have any specific financial goals? You will next month--stay tuned!).

Just like regular boot camp, if you're out of budgeting shape, this isn't going to be easy. Adopting any new habit takes dedication, but we're here to help by breaking it down into one manageable task (or “To Do” Item) per month. Stick with us and you'll end 2014 with a