Day 1: What Do I Expect to Learn/ Why I’m Taking the Challenge

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world! 

Day 1 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge is under way, and so far, so good.  My first set of flats are soaking right now, and we will see how this first attempt at handwashing will go.  I purposefully did not do a trial run because I honestly didn't want it to fail and then second guess signing up.  Being a life long procrastinator on new things, it doesn't surprise me that I went into this somewhat blindly.

So why am I only diaper my daughter in flats and covers and handwashing all of it?  I am doing this challenge because it seems like fun (yes, my idea of fun may be a little off!).  It gives me something to do as a part time stay at home mom, and it gives me something to think about and put some energy towards.  Though I appreciate and fully support the mission behind the challenge, no one but the online community and my husband will know I am doing this.  I can't say that I am truly raising awareness on my own.  If I were in the situation that many people find themselves in (broke, living without a washing machine, trying to decide between diapers and food), I honestly don't know what I would do.  Fortunately, I am no where near that place in life, but I fully understand that others are.  I am excited to prove to myself that this can be done and that it can be a reality.

What do I expect to learn?  I guess I really don't know.  The easy answer is I expect to learn that handwashing is a challenge and an inconvenience, but it can be done.  I hope to learn in some small way what a glimpse of a life less fortunate might feel like (and please understand that I know it would only be a sliver of what life must be like).

Bring it on Flats Challenge!  Here we go...