10/13/2026
The laundry. Specifically, the boys’ laundry. After a lifetime of doing dishes for a family of 6, then 7, then 8, then 9 kids and an in-home daycare, I have paid my dues. I don’t do dishes anymore, but I’ll do the laundry no problem. Until recently.
When the boys went back to school, they both started wearing jeans every day, jeans to fit a 5ft and a 6ft body. Wide leg jeans (so much extra fabric 😫), men’s jeans, 34” inseams, jeans in every color. It doubled my laundry work overnight.
The solution has been to teach them how to take care of their own washing and folding. It’s not been a seamless transition but I’m not the one with clothes on my bedroom floor.
It’s funny though, through this I was struck less by the increase in laundry and more by something I had forgotten. I talk with a lot of new parents about the really cool things they have to look forward to as their babies turn into kids who turn into teenagers. And we commiserate about the constant rapid changes. You finally get your bearings, you’ve worked out the magic combo that gets your 6mo down for a nap and then she starts teething or hits another growth spurt and you have to figure it out again.
I stopped paying attention to how my kids at 7, 11, and almost 15 are still constantly changing. I stopped noticing how I adapt to the next thing without missing a beat. I got so good at adapting to adapting that changes went unnoticed. Having half of your laundry taken up by men’s jeans for your teenager will bring it all right back into focus if you’re paying attention.
Moral of the story: The kids never stop changing. We never stop changing. Nothing stays the same and we’re all gonna die. Take some pictures, it’ll last longer.
📍I’m Kayla, a San Diego lifestyle family and newborn photographer, mom of three, and professional oversharer. I create documentary style photos and films of the people, places, and chaos that make up your life so you can remember more than just the big stuff.
