Another Packing spin off

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

First off, he's color blind. He also doesn't always know which separates go together.

To be fair on the separates if he takes a peek at the clothes/dresser he'll probably see or if you tell him though him being color blind I think is more understandable in this situation as that can present a unique aspect to patterns and colors of clothing. Under other circumstances if someone is unaware of the separates they probably aren't paying the most attention (unless they never see the child in them).

not to mention hair accessories.

same as the clothes/dresser comment though if you have a preference for what they are go for it

Then there's the proper amount of socks and underwear,

If he's able to pack his own amount of socks and underwear he could do the kids too (speaking about your proper amount). Just tell him the amount to bring.


It works for you guys so no biggie really not actually trying to change what y'all do. I think it's just a gender role thing coming into play that got the impression going for the initial conversation. A lot of women still take on the packing for children. I think that's what the other poster was getting at. I tend to see things less in gender so I would probably look at it more like one person (irrespective of their gender or their title meaning husband or wife) is better at packing for another person. But I can't say that I didn't read a bit more of what the other person was saying when I first read the comment that sparked the conversation just the way it was worded.

 

[Stratman50th]

In the olden days, we each packed our own stuff. If we forgot something, oh well lesson learned.
Before I got married I obviously packed everything myself. I did ok because, see first comment.
After I got married, we still packed our own bags. We each had one. I had a toilet kit that had everything in it and aside from clothing I'd throw that bag in.
When our daughter came along I packed for me, my wife packed for herself and our daughter until she was old enough to decide for herself which was actually pretty young. She got a little guidance but did pretty well. my wife physically put the group (beach towels, sunscreen, etc) into a suitcase but it has always been pre-staged.
That brings us to 2014 when we got our RV. Now all clothing, toiletries, first aid, etc is already inside like a second home- which it is. The only thing we have to pack now is meds and food. Aside from that we just get in, turn the key and go.

PS: Most of our trips as a family were to Disney and we always drove. We lived in MD
We didn't do much flying unless we were visiting family out west and the same "we each packed for ourselves" applied. Other than that, car trips not flights. I hate to fly and I'm not a fan of hotels- we just drive our own house.

 

[quoo]

My eldest packs himself and I check, I usually tell him how many days were going and if he needs anything special. My husband is a grown up and can pack himself. My just turned 6 year old usually needs a little help but not much, he's a pretty organized kid.

This trip though I think I'm packing for most of them, if only because the kids don't know we're going. I may end up doing my husband's packing, or at least some of it, as I work from home frequently which means I can pack while the kids are at camp and won't notice.

 

[Skippy918]

Dh packs his own stuff. I help the kids. I tell them to bring me X number of outfits and then they help roll the clothes and put them in the packing cube. I pack all the toiletries. Dh takes care of the electronics.

 

[Heigh-Ho]

We each do our own packing, I think that is just how we each grew up so it stuck with us

 

[Heigh-Ho]

When we were first married I packed for DH. I made a list of everything I packed. He unpacked it all to make sure he had everything. That was the only time I have packed for him in 53 years.

I don't blame you! At least this way he can pack and unpack himself and no double work for you

 

[Heigh-Ho]

I'll enviably forget something. Or pack the wrong thing. Or there was a special thing that she wanted to bring.

I can understand that, different wheelhouses but I'm wondering why you laughed at that other person's post

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

DH pulls out his own stuff, but I pack it (unless it's for work, then he does his own packing. He doesn't like the way I pack his business shirts.). I pack all the toiletries and my stuff, along with first aid kits, snacks, etc. DH is responsible for his medications/diabetes supplies, and his chargers.

DS is responsible for his own packing. I will tell him if he needs to have something specific (nice shirt and pants for dinner, swimsuit, etc) but he needs to pack it himself. He packs his own toiletries too, and his electronics and chargers. He's been packing by himself since he was 12.

DS was about 13, and ended up on a Scout camping trip with only shorts, no pants, when the weather in the mountains turned and dropped to 45 overnight. Luckily, his fellow scouts helped him out with a pair of pants and a sweatshirt. He has never forgotten to check the weather or pack a jacket/pants again. (and before I get yelled at for being a bad mom, we told him to check the weather, and that he needed his pants and a warm jacket. It was something we have always done with him, so it wasn't like it was a surprise or a new routine. DH asked him, before leaving him at the drop point, if he packed all the gear he was told to, and he said yes. If it had been worse weather, the adults at the campout would have called us to come get him or would have stepped in to help him out. Instead, his buddies helped, and he learned a valuable lesson.)

 

[OhDannyBoy]

I can understand that, different wheelhouses but I'm wondering why you laughed at that other person's post

Because I found it funny.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

My husband and I each pack for ourselves. I would be completely useless trying to pack for him. “Uh, what do you want to wear? What things do you need to get ready in the morning? Is this the soap you use?” I wouldn’t have the first clue.

We split the rest of the packing and trip preparations depending on what needs to be done/what tasks we prefer/who gets to it first. I’m probably getting the pet supplies stocked and instructions written for the petsitter, picking outfits for the kid/s too young to pack for themselves, and putting together an activity bag to keep them occupied during travel, while my husband is getting together all the electronics, packing snacks for the trip and making lunches for the travel day, getting the car ready if it’s a road trip, etc.

My older son (4 1/2) is old enough to do the legwork while I oversee and get the stuff put into the suitcase. “Go pick out X number of outfits. Bring me your toothbrush and comb. Find your sunglasses and figure out which two stuffed animals you want to bring.” I’ll be happy to give the job over to him once he’s old enough to do it on his own.

 

[tcufrog]

We recently went on a road trip to New Orleans and Florida. My DH decreed that this time everyone would pack their own suitcase. I told them what we needed to pack though. My DH oversaw DS10's packing and I made sure that the kids had their medicine. I was less stressed though about whether they had everything because it would be easy to replace everything on the road except for the medicine. I would have been much less easy-going though if that wasn't possible. For example, I used an app to track all of our packing when we went to Costa Rica. Replacing something at a hotel that is reached by boat isn't all that easy.

My DH did screw up though big time when packing for the road trip because he forgot to pack his C-pap. Maybe my usual anal-retentive packing style isn't so bad. If I had been in charge that wouldn't have happened.

 

[RedAngie]

Heck no. By the time DDs were about 12, they were responsible for packing their own bags. ExH and DH always were. I might remind them of certain things, but if they forgot, it was on them.

Neglected to bring your I-pod? Too bad, so sad. And no, we don’t need to get you another pink shirt to replace the one you left at home.

The only things I made sure everyone packed were passports for international travel and other important documents.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Everybody gets their clothes together on their own. I do make packing lists (like 4 shorts, 2 pjs, a bathing suit, etc) for the younger two. Depends on where we’re going & if we need to consolidate suitcases on whether they physically pack their own bags or just bring it to me and I put it in the suitcases. It really isn’t that much work.

 

[mrodgers]

Wouldn't it have been easier for you to just pack for everyone? Or at least instruct your children how to do theirs properly?

I was at work during all this. Limited time to clean and pack the car before trying to get to sleep for a 3 am departure let alone do everything. Plus, if you don't have a wife (a female wife since we've devolved into degrading others' ideas bringing gender into it) then it's difficult to understand what it is like for a husband to tell the wife how to do something. It's completely opposite of a wife telling a husband how to do something.

 

[wenrob]

DH waits until the very last minute to do laundry and pack. (Older DD is the same) It makes me crazy. One year he forgot pants.

Typically I buy a round of summer clothes, t-shirts for myself and DH and full sets for the kids so I guess in that sense I’m “packing for everyone.” We wash the new stuff and pack it up. I make lists for the kids- you need this many outfits +1, a hoodie, jammies etc. and I supervise/check. I *do* care what they look like as far as must be clean and fit properly.

I pack the toiletries for the family (DH sets his out on the counter for me to add). I’m going to be in close quarters with them for several days so I’m going to be damn sure everyone has toothpaste, soap and deodorant. I also pack the “hotel tote” if we’re driving with coffee, drinks, snacks etc. The kids now help and we double check each other to make sure we haven’t forgotten anything.

 

[Funfire240]

DH pulls what he wants but I physically pack the suitcase. I handle all of the extras and necessities as well. I still pack for DS11 because it's so simple. DD13 now packs her own but I go through with her to make sure she has everything she needs. If we are flying she gets the clothes ready for me to organize and pack as we combine everything for maximum benefits with weight into the suitcases.

She once wanted to pack for herself for a Disney trip when she was 4 or 5. She came out saying she was ready and didn't need my help. The suitcase was just full of princess dress

 

[diser_fam]

It's every man and woman for themselves in our house. My wife used to help the kids pack, but that was years ago and they were still by her side telling her what they wanted to wear. They are 19 and 16 now. They pack their own toiletries as well. I do lay my toiletries out on the counter and my wife puts everything in our bag, so I guess I don't technically pack those.

 

[belle032]

I pack for myself and the things that both DH & I need. I enjoy it and I'm a touch OCD about it. Most of the time I'll have the stuff I know DH will bring laid out and he can add whatever else he wants. He gets his own toiletries together. But I'm the one actually folding and putting things in suitcases.

I'm also the one who gets the dog ready for boarding too, if that counts!

Basically I'm the planner, travel booker, scheduler, packer, and the "for the love of god make sure you have your passport" person in DH & I's relationship. He's more of the "just tell me when we're going and I'll be there" person. It's all about balance.

 

[wenrob]

I don’t only pack for everyone when the kids were small I would take out the clothes we would wear for the next morning . They didn’t care and got too use to it. Not one meltdown that they didn’t want to wear that either. If they did I would let them change. I’m the one that makes sure the wash is put in a bad and back in a suitcase . Plus I clean up the room or cabin if we’re on the ship nothing spread out on dressers.

Now the kids pack there own but they are in their 20’s. So don’t come with us much anymore.

Husband lays out what he wants to take on the bed I pack it.

As a former maid I made my family into an elite pack it back up/clean up the hotel room team. DH and I (then later with older DD) can have a room packed up, trash and linens gathered in 10mins flat. Year before last it was just myself and the younger kids. I was quite impressed with their efficiency since they hadn’t really done it on their own before.

I was at work during all this. Limited time to clean and pack the car before trying to get to sleep for a 3 am departure let alone do everything. Plus, if you don't have a wife (a female wife since we've devolved into degrading others' ideas bringing gender into it) then it's difficult to understand what it is like for a husband to tell the wife how to do something. It's completely opposite of a wife telling a husband how to do something.

This is so full of “oh please.”

 

[Alicefan]

Not necessarily. Every household has it's own rhythm.

True, I'm one of those people that likes to pack and will get started about 3 weeks out because I can't wait lol. My best friend waits until the night before because she hates it. I think it's fun! I would usually pack for the both of us when I was married. I have a whole 6 drawer cart dedicated to just "littles" for vacations aka: toiletries. Hmmm...typing this out makes me think I may need to talk to someone about this lol.