Do you wash your bowl after you eat?

When I was single and childless, I would consider the making of food, the consumption of food, and the cleaning of all dishes a single event. During the cooking of my food, I would wash the stuff I had used to prep. When I had enjoyed my last bite of food, I would wash my plate/bowl and silverware, and any pans that were used in cooking. There was something whole or satisfying about this process besides the fact that there were no dirty dishes.

Living with other people – especially kids – has resulted in a perpetual battle against dirty dishes. We have a dishwasher, so when it’s running or full of clean, drying, dishes, our sink fills up with dirty dishes. Our kids know that it’s their job to contribute by emptying the clean dishes from the dishwasher, and loading the dirty ones, but we always seem to have a traffic jam somewhere in the process.

So, I have proposed that we simplify everything by asking everyone to simply take ownership of their own dishes and wash them after dinner. My wife is skeptical, and this would need full support from her for this to have any chance of working.

So, how do manage dishes (especially if you have a large family)? Have you ever tried the technique I describe (wash your bowl immediately after dinner)?