Bringing (tween) friends - advice welcome!

[jezebel73]

We invited two of my daughter's friends to join us this August, 9 nights at the Yacht Club. All three girls will be 12 at the time. We have been to Disney many times, but never brought friends along (we brought my niece twice but family is kind of different IMO). I run a pretty tight and neat ship when we go and I know for sure one of the girls lives like a bomb just went off and the other is kind of in between. Any suggestions for keeping someone else's kids in line and organized? So far we have:

• a hamper or bag for dirty laundry (multiple?)
• assigned areas for toiletries
• shoe rack for items, though I don't know if there's anywhere to hang it in YC
• assigned drawers for clothing

Thanks!!

 

[Donna M]

I think each girl should have her own laundry bag to be able to keep track of her clothes. A kitchen garbage bag works well. Will there be just you and the three girls, or will there be two adults and connecting rooms with the girls in their own room? If the girls are in their own room, then you could just avoid going in there!
You can hang the bag in the closet.

 

[jezebel73]

I think each girl should have her own laundry bag to be able to keep track of her clothes. A kitchen garbage bag works well. Will there be just you and the three girls, or will there be two adults and connecting rooms with the girls in their own room? If the girls are in their own room, then you could just avoid going in there!
You can hang the bag in the closet.

Haha, no, it is all in one room and my ex-husband will also be there, so tight quarters! But the closet idea is great - I think we can stick their two laundry bags in there easily. Kiddo and I share a hamper that I can stick wherever. Ex-hub usually does a bag stashed in a corner already (we've traveled together before).

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

Lay out the ground rules for the girls as soon as you arrive. For example, when I have travelled with my kids' friends, I told them about my expectations for the hotel room immediately. Before doing anything in my own room I got them settled in their room--put out garbage bags for their dirty clothes, helped them find storage for their things and got them unpacked, and told them that at a bare minimum I expected them to keep their things picked up off the floor and to keep the beds uncluttered enough that the beds could be made. It sounds like you've got the organization thing down, but most tweens aren't going to be able to keep up with your expectations on their own, you're going to have to remind/nag/help them.

 

[DisneyAnytime]

I second the "Family Meeting" probably even before you go. Explain kindly that it will be tight quarters and that everyone has to do their part to stay organized. If you have room in your packing, maybe get a few small bins from the Dollar Tree so that everyone has a bin to dump their junk in. Also, completely unpacking into the drawers and closet will help (hopefully) keep the clothes from getting strewn around the room. If it's possible, you may even suggest to the other girls' parents that outfits be packed in gallon zip-lock bags so the girls can just grab and go when getting ready in the mornings without having to search for matching shorts/top/socks/accessories etc.

Regardless, since you are "Mom", much of the straightening and organizing will fall on you. I always did a walk through at night on my way to bed and helped stray items find their way to their proper location. It just made for easier mornings.