Dear friends… this post isn’t an easy one but I have to admit the truth to myself and by extension, to you. 2017 will not be seeing a Dirty Diaper Laundry hosted Flats and Handwashing Challenge. When I began this event 7 years ago I had no idea it would blossom into a beloved yearly event. I started it initially to bring awareness to ways that anyone could diaper their baby in nearly any circumstance with the right tools and knowledge.
So much good has come from this event- I know many families who have been helped by learning to handwash their diapers and being aware that if they have to, they should be using flats. Any other diaper is just too hard to handwash and hang dry. Thanks to this event flat cloth diapers saw a resurgence in popularity and were no longer looked at with confusion. It is one of the things I’m most proud of that I’ve accomplished through this website.
I was only able to participate in this event myself for the first two years before my youngest son graduated to underwear but I’ve been happy to continue this event through DDL. In past years our lovely contributor Lara took the torch and performed the event with her babies. This year even coordinating the event is too much for me to make happen. A lot of changed for me and my family since the first year- we’ve moved several times, my boys are much older now, and I’ve taken on more outside projects and work (including a whole new second website that is growing quickly.)
It’s not lost on me that this event needs not only time, but passion. I think it’s time to let someone else take this torch; Jenny from Cloth Diaper Revival will be the new Flats and Handwashing Challenge host. Her event will begin May 15 and I’m thrilled to have a friend take this and keep it going. You can find the information on how to participate on her announcement post.
Please continue to make this lesson known in the cloth diaper community; show people how wonderful flat cloth diapers can be. No baby should have to wear a soiled disposable diaper for extra hours because their parents can’t afford to buy more. We know it happens. I will be following along and cheering from the sidelines, good luck everyone!
