Sunday, Nov. 10, 2002 | 1:13 am

Let me tell you about �The Clothes Folding Fairy.� He or she is that special, magical person, who comes along in your work-a-day week and quick as you please...folds and stows away ALL the laundry. Now when I was a young mother I would often search for this elusive nymph, often never to find him/her. For many days after the piles of laundry were washed sparkling clean and dried to crisp, bouncy freshness, the process would grind to a halt. Then, like a fungus growing in a dank forest, dirty laundry; diapers, socks, towels, Levis, t-shirts, throw-up cloths, pillow cases, sheets and all would find their way back into the beautifully clean, yet unfolded clothing, mixing and swirling until there was no hope of separating washed from unwashed. So, back into the trusty and dependable Maytag everything would once again go. I�m sorry to say, but sometimes this vicious cycle would repeat itself again and again, leaving me, the FEARLESS LEADER OF LAUNDRY, sniveling and helpless. As a way of trying to remedy this terrible situation, I invented...�The Clothes Folding Fairy!� Actually she/ they were pretty pathetic, when I had to actually say, �I think it�s time for the clothes folding fairy to pay a visit.� Then, as if by guilt, the little children would moan and groan and dig in and help put things in order. This seemed to help alleviate our mountainous laundry woes to a point, but never really solved the never-ending stacks, piles, and hills of dirty clothes.

One fine day I began to think that I would get �on the ball� and do everything up just dandy, all by myself. Thus becoming the self-appointed �Clothes Folding Fairy� for the day. (Lucky me) I sorted, folded. stacked arranged and tidied up, waiting in anticipation of all the kiddos to come home and find all their clothes neatly folded and stacked. Of coarse, they would gratefully and smilingly, put them all away...NEATLY! Yes, joy reigned supreme as the little ones filed through the door, past the kitchen to the food, into the TV room, never noticing my 16 separate piles of neatly folded underwear, socks, jeans and t-shirts. (That is 4 items each x 4 kids) A gentle reminder was issued. No response. Again I tried with kindness. Nothing. Right then I decided, NO, I would not put it all away too! They would have to do it themselves. And so I told them. I left to run errands. Now at this time in our family life, the girls were 12 and 14. The boys were 6 and 8. It was OK to leave them back in the good ol� days. Well... when I returned, they had all decided to set up shop and start homework right in the middle of my nice, neat piles. Not one thing was put away. In fact the whole room resembled something out of a news story about hurricanes or earthquakes.

When I get angry I do not yell. I become coldly silent. My stares can KILL. I quietly began to re-do my work from the day. It didn�t take long before they all knew they were in DEEP DO-DO trouble. Suddenly, everybody was snapping to, and putting away. I went into the kitchen and cooked dinner.

That evening, I made an announcement. I would no longer be doing any laundry except mine and hubby�s. I told them all that after dinner we would go to the laundry room and I would teach them how to sort clothing, use the machines, and that was THAT! Hubby took a strange glance at me and said. �But the boys are too little.� �No matter, they can learn,� said I.

And so it was on that fateful day...The Clothes Folding Fairy was gone, never to return.

A few weeks later I asked my youngest, then only 6 and in first grade. �Do you want me to help you with your laundry?� No mom.� was his answer. �I want to be ready to do my own laundry on my mission.� I couldn�t say a word. He really meant it and never quit taking care of his responsibility. In reality the boys handled this change much better that their sisters. It seemed like the girls were always in the previously mentioned state of disorganization. The boy also learned how to sew, cook, and iron their own dress shirts. It was a good thing to fire the fairy.

But now, here I am with just myself and hubby. I still need The Clothes Folding Fairy...but she has left the building.

catsnapples~ in first grade and at life

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