<p>@ Parl–I understand, please forgive me if my post seemed sort of hostile, it was not meant to be.</p>
<p>As I am sitting in my living room putting her name in every shirt, pants, and jacket that we are packing (btw my d got most of her clothes at the Salvation Army Thrift Store), I know for my d it is truly an opportunity of a life time. We want her to be able to focus on her school work and her new environment.</p>
<p>Trust me, my d knows responsible and the sacrifice that we are making for her to attend bs.</p>
<p>Parlabane: Since every parent who has responded to this thread has qualified for significant financial aid, what you’re really doing is criticizing (pretty nastily) how hard-working, middle class parents (or grandparents) choose to spend their money AND how we raise our children to be responsible adults. (I’m thinkin’ it doesn’t all revolve around whether or not they wash their own underwear when they’re 15. Though good on you, Tom, for doing it!)</p>
<p>The Exeter laundry program actually comes in at somewhere around $15/week (and yes, I’m looking at actual weeks they’re in school). At Exeter, 2 loads of laundry a week would cost about $6/week, not including detergent. The extra $9/week seems a reasonable expense to me. </p>
<p>I think the OP was interested in reasons for or against laundry service, not a harangue. So how about we pass the bean dip? (homeschooler lingo for changing the topic when people won’t stop harping on our carefully considered personal choices).</p>
<p>Classical, you’re right. I’ve been a real grouch on this topic. Time to ratchet back.</p>
<p>I just have to chuckle… a story from my daughter… there are always kids who just don’t quite care enough to do the laundry thing right. She told me about a student, a girl no less, who often stinks of Febreze. I’m guessing she doesn’t wash her clothes often enough or doesn’t allow them to dry completely, so her clothes are always a wrinkled smelly mess. </p>
<p>I’m with TomtheCat and Parlabane. I never entertained the idea of the laundry service. And I am happy to say that my D doesn’t need Febreze and she even does her own laundry without prompting while at home. That’s a win in my book!</p>
<p>Parl: Shoot, there you go, politely backing down just as I was climbing on my high horse :)</p>
<p>JA–that cracks me up…and it’s really, bottom-line, why I went with laundry service this year…now I just have to hope the clothes get in the bag!</p>
<p>@tcat, if you choose to do your own laundry, I don<code>t feel sorry for you. By the # of posts you</code>ve made on cc, it looks like you have plenty of time on your hands. Good for you that you have a full ride. I do find it a bit odd that you want to make fun of full pay students who don`t want to wash clothes. Please, no more dog and cat fight here!</p>
<p>I’ve been following this thread too with a bit of amusement, but also understanding where Tom and Parl are coming from (although it’s good that Parl is putting the grouch back in the hat for a while). Maddog, “make fun of full pay students?” Seriously. That sounds mighty effete! If there ever was “a rich white man’s problem,” it would be the dilemma of whether to do your own laundry at boarding school or have it done for you “by a service.” hmmmm. If the slings and arrows of Tom’s understandable distaste for students who can’t manage their own laundry seems too much for you, then all I can say is “sheesh,” time to get out a bit more!!! ;)</p>
<p>Ohh, the irony: maddog15 and Tomthecat are fighting! I just had to point that out :)</p>
<p>ha-ha LOL. I<code>m not white. And I</code>m sure I`ve been around the block a few more times than you.</p>
<p>I just wanted to throw in here that the ‘Look Sharp’ E&R service includes dry cleaning. All sweaters and fleece will be dry clean only. This is why we didn’t go with the lower fee service. If you buy the basic plan, they nickel and dime you, and charge you for each sweater or piece for dry cleaning. The higher priced service is unlimited dry cleaning. Does anyone know if they give you a special bag for dry cleaning?</p>
<p>We are paying for the first year, though I think the prices are outrageous, but we figured one less thing for our student to have to worry about. We’ll see how it goes…</p>
<p>The Laundry Wars! </p>
<p>St. Mark’s has a mandatory study hall, and firm dress codes for class and chapel. According to my child, students are not able to wander off to check their laundry during study hall. There are also frequent required sit-down dinners, and sports obligations, and and and… In short, there are times when Everyone wants to do the laundry. </p>
<p>Many schools strongly recommend the laundry service. Yes, one can do one’s own laundry. However, I suspect that the system only works because a significant percentage of students do choose to use the laundry service. If everyone dropped the service, there wouldn’t be enough washers and dryers on hand.</p>
<p>^ Periwinkle, as you know I’ll be attending St. Mark’s next year (and if you didn’t, now you know :)). My father is currently deciding on whether we should sign up for the laundry service or not. What would you recommend?</p>
<p>It depends on your schedule, and which dorm you’ve been assigned. I think most upperclassmen have rooms in the main building. As you’re a Junior, you’d be able to work laundry details into your schedule much more easily than the students on West Campus.</p>
<p>Other than that, it depends on your budget, and whether you can bear to wait for your clothes to return. </p>
<p>If you do choose to use the laundry service, label everything.</p>
<p>George School’s laundry service is free of charge. Some students opt for the service and others, like my son, do their own. It’s a matter of personal preference I suppose.</p>
<p>$30k boarding school? Where is that? We pay a lot more than that! Listen to TomTheCat and actually prepare your student for real life…or why even bother sending them to BS? Also, you have to wait a week to get your clothes back from laundry service, when you could have it done in minutes WHILE you study.</p>
<p>Multi-tasking 101…</p>
<p>I can’t believe that people pay to have someone change the OIL in the CARS! Oh, how lazy! It takes like 10 minutes! And how LAZY do you have to be to hire a lawn service! It’s great exercise and keeps the heart healthy. My gosh! I have a neighbor who actually drives through a car wash of all things. I suppose she’s just too good to get out there with a hose and a bucket. And then there are those people who are ALWAYS calling some repair man for every. little. thing. Nobody every taught them how to repack a faucet or change a thermostat? It’s just unbelievable how helpless some people are!!!</p>
<p>(I’m not serious, in case anyone missed it…just trying to make a point about how silly this whole argument is.)</p>
<p>Good one neatoburrito! This argument is kind of silly.</p>
<p>I don’t want to get caught up in the drama of whether to buy the laundry service or not…it’s a personal decision.
That said, we bit for the first year…in addition to the regular laundry bag you get with your student’s name and number…is there a separate dry cleaning bag?</p>