How do you keep your young child from "helping" you pack?

[bunnysmum]

My 5 yo has a small plastic art kit case jam-packed with a light-up battery-powered ring, various crayons, a tiny plastic doll, a board book that she hasn't looked at in ages, a highlighter, a long piece of string, a couple of bandaids, her GameBoy, two game cartridges, and a tube of lip gloss. I guess it could be worse, but I fear this is only the beginning. She absolutely LOVES to help me pack. When we went to my sister's for Christmas she crammed half her bedroom into a tote bag and declared herself "ready to go".

She is such a little pack rat, and loves to feel she is helping. How can I avoid taking all her "treasures" with us to WDW without crushing her spirit?

 

[HappyLawyer]

ok, i would just tell her no and to stop.

 

[bscs]

I have a almost the same problem. My 8yr old dd wants to pack her own bag. and the other day she saw me pack a few pairs of shorts and tshirtsshe saw me pack this and she is so picky, I want to pack things that mix& Match but she wants the wild colored shorts that only go w/ one shirt ect. I think I'll have to do what I did when she was 5 and pack when she isn't home and let her pack a very small carryon and say that she can't pack anything that dosnt fit in it. Oh if you are going by plane make sure you child knows before hand that they will take their bag to put on xray but they willl have it back. My dd had a fit thinking she was never going to see her stuff again.

 

[kidangel]

My teenager's favourite method of packing is to take the largest possible suitcase, and put every single item of clothing she owns into it, "just in case". Plus another small suitcase for her "tools"- hair straightener, blow dryer, makeup, etc. Yes, we call her Tinkerbelle. However, she's old enough to understand the terms "airline baggage restrictions". And carry her own luggage.

When the kids were small, I would be in charge of packing their clothes, etc. but I would give them each ONE small backpack or bag, like a totebag or school-size pack, and tell them they could take anything they thought they wanted to bring, so long as it fit in the bag. That way, even if everything in the bag was entirely pointless and never got used, it was small enough for them to carry and wasn't my problem. They got to feel in control of something during a vacation that was often the "big people" telling them go here, go there, eat this, swim now.

It's hard to understand what little kids are thinking sometimes - who knows what they need to make them feel comfortable and in control of some facet of their lives? It never hurts to give them some freedom within limits, know what I mean?

Shelley
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Read my Disney blog!
http://www.movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/remember_the_magic
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[skiwee1]

DD is now 6 but I have always let her pack a suitcase as soon as she expressed interest. She has a Cinderella suitcase that she takes as a carry on for the plane. It works out great because she has plenty of stuff to keep her entertained. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff she brought with her but she wanted it so I let her.

 

[popisme]

What we have always done for our super packrat who is almost 5 is give her a small backpack and tell her that her most important job is to pack her bag with things to do on the trip down. She is given a small sized backpack and we tell her that is all they (the airplane) will let her take so be very carefull what you bring and then let her at it. The backpack is so small it really does not take much room and gives her something to do/think about before the trip and helps her feel like she is involved. We also tell her that her bag is her responsablity and she is the only one that can take care of it.

 

[belle&beast]

We are leaving on Saturday and I am experiencing the same dilemma! I am packing the suitcases while the kids are in bed, but my DD4 wants to pack her things. I have decided that she can take her princess suitcase which will be a carry-on and fill it with whatever she likes. I did tell her a few things that need to be in it- snacks, dvds, dvd player for the flight, but anything else is her choice. But she can only take the one bag so she has to be careful about her choices. This is keeping her busy and she is even trying to find things for her brother, too. LOL!!!

 

[minkydog]

My kids have always been allowed to bring a backpack and one suitcase, which they are also required to carry. When they were under 12 I packed the suitcase. But the backpack is fair game--anything they can cram in there can go. Who's to say what their "treasure" will be that week You never know. But I wouldn't want my DH to pack my backpack and tell me I couldn't take something that was important to me (even if it didn't make sense to him.)

 

[estherhead]

I have a 5 year old girl who adores packing. We did Disney & a cruise this year so I simply could not have her help. The packing was way too complicated (formals, raincoats, dress shoes, beach towels, etc...) I took them to a discount store and told them (I have a 4 year old girl too) to pick out a backpack that they would have to carry and that would be all they could take. Then I bought them all kind of treats (toys & candy & coloring books) and told them they could EITHER put their own things in the backpack (like clothes & stupid old boring toys) or put the things I had bought for them in the backpack. After MUCH thought they both chose all the appropriate things that I had bought and that was the end of the fighting. Then when we were packing up to go home from vacation (and everything has to go home) I let the five year old help me. She was actually quite helpful.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

When i was little my mom used to give each of us a brown grocery bag and we could take anything that would fit in that bag with us. I remember once that I took all my plastic jewery and my little sisiter took her mittens(It was July!). I LOVE to pack and I would never deny my child that pleasure. DS has always had a backpack that could hold anything he wanted to take! I sometimes when he was little I would give sugestions like bring a coloring book or your gameboy but it was totaly up to him if he followed the idea or not. I would of course stick a few tried and true items to keep him entertained in my bag. For sure let her pack a bag but also try to let her help you pack her stuff too. DS and I used to have so much fun doing that. We would pack and talk about where we might be when he would wear that outfit. He leaned what he would need each day and shared in my excitment of planning. HE at 13 can now pack for a muti-day scout trip with out assistance and gets really anoyed at mom when I ask if he remembered clean underwear!!!!!
DH on the other hand packed ONE shirt for our week honeymoon 15 years ago and has not helped pack his bag once since we were married!!
It will take more time and patience when she "helps" but be oh so worth it.

Jordans' mom

 

[horsegirl]

I just encountered this today! I had packed all the kids summer things in our luggage and emptied it to begin deciding what to take. Suddenly all 3 of my DKs were upon me and the items. I found by accident a sure way to have them lose interest enough for me to get down what I needed. Have them try on everything to make it fits. They were excited at first, but after a while, they got bored and decided to play with their toys. It was a nice way to involve them, and unfortunately they have grown out of lots of their cute little things since summer, so it was necessary to have them help. I also let them put some things in their bags and buy them some goodies to add right before we go. I like packing early, as it helps me learn what we need to go out and get before we leave. I do not like shopping for anything while on vacation, other than a few groceries and a few souvies

 

[Schmeck]

If you do let your child pack a bag to carry on, make sure that you check it for items not allowed on airplanes! Nothing like having to explain to your child why his pocket knife from great-grandpa, the one that doesn't even open any more, has been confiscated and the family has to miss the flight because they were pulled out of line...

 

[MamaLema]

Let her pack whatever she wants. Then when she goes to bed, you can "fix" it. On vacation when a few things of hers have disappeared, you can pretend you don't have a clue what happened to her rubber band collection.

Works for me

 

[Shagley]

Maybe before you start packing, you can both sit down and make a list of things to pack. Then instead of getting in the way, maybe she can "help" you pack her things. She could hold the list and cross of things off as they are packed.

 

[madalynns mom]

this is funny because today I was packing a bag for a quick visit with my sister. Well, my daughter decided to unpack the bag I just finished packing. So, like said before pick your battles. It could be worse!

Making a list and having her "help" you is a good idea. Maybe try that.