A few years ago, my parents set out on a mission to take all of their grandkids camping in their new camper trailer. Each family would have the kiddos picked up on a Friday night for a weekend full of camping for the kiddos, and two whole days off for the parents! Everyone in our family was very excited by this prospect and awaited our specific weekend with baited breath. Then I realized I would need to pack clothes for the kiddos to cover any eventual need they may have, which, while camping, could be a lot! I had sent the kiddos off for a night or two at the Grandparents’ house a time or two before, but never for something like camping where they wouldn’t have access to washing machines or additional clothes if needed. I also had to contend with the fact my Mom asked I not pack their clothes in their usual bags, as she preferred to put them in the trailer’s cabinets. I was also in the midst of trying to get a million other things done, and Hubby suggested that maybe I let the kiddos help me.
Start With Matching Sets
To begin with, I am not a parent who thinks my kiddos’ outfits must match at all times, but I do think it is easier if they are matched up one to one for ease of use. I have not often had them pack for a trip but I have had them involved at least with picking out their clothes for a day at school or daycare and by doing that, they understand the things they need for a single day at least. I learned from my Mom after their trip that having outfits set together for each day made things much easier for them. Basically, I pair a set of bottoms with a set of tops and sandwich the necessities in between. I even do this with the extra sets of clothes I pack. Even though the extra sets may be split up if only one piece of clothes is ruined, if it is a total disaster of a mess, a new set of clothes is right at hand without having to dig through a stack of clothes while trying to contain a major mess. If your kiddos are younger, you can have them help make the stacks if they are too young to pick them out themselves. If your kiddos are older, you can also teach them to roll their necessities into “ranger rolls” as hubby called them when he was in the military. A pair of socks, underwear, and an undershirt and/or bra rolled and folded together to create a handy set. This technique only really works however when the items are of large enough size.
Pack Enough of Everything, but Not too Much!
This is always a fine balance for a parent (and honestly for me when I am packing for myself,) teaching your kiddos to make sure you have enough of everything while not bringing too much stuff. I have found myself in both situations many times over. The basic formula I use is to pack one set of weather appropriate clothes for each day, one extra set of cooler and one extra set of warmer clothes, and then one additional set for every three days of additional time away. For younger kiddos I do a strict one set to one day ratio but as the kiddos get older, I will bring half as many pants/shorts as they re-wear them. Make sure to look at the weather with your kiddos ahead of time and talk about what they can expect to need or the weather to feel like. I love sneaking in a science lesson when I can talking about weather is always fun for me. Of course, be on the lookout for special weather events or if any special dinners or visits are planned in case you need any special or dress up items. If it is a longer trip, I will sometimes adjust the amount we pack if there are laundry facilities available. For this example of camping for a weekend in summer: I packed 4 sets of short sleeve shirts and shorts, one set of long sleeve shirts and pants (don’t forget 4 sets of necessities to go with,) one set of pjs, a swimsuit, a hat, and a sweatshirt.
Involve the Kiddos!
Ok, now that you understand the principles, you are ready to start getting the kiddos involved. You may need to guide them to not pick their best clothes for a fishing trip, or that they need to bring something nice to wear to Great-Grandma’s house. This exercise, even if a bit rocky, can give them a sense of accomplishment and pride while on their trip. Just imagine them letting someone know they picked out their outfit themselves. After you have gone over the weather and how many items they need to pick out, have them lay the items out in an organized way on their bed or the kitchen table like we do! This way you can check everything over and guide them if something needs to be changed out. Next, show them how you pack their bag and explain why. If they understand they only need to pick a set out of their bag each day it can really help the ones caring for them or you if you are going with them. You can adjust this process based on your kiddo’s development and needs as well. A younger child could pick all the shirts they wear if that is all the attention they have and a teen should be able to do this mostly unguided. I would highly recommend you check their bags the first few times the kiddos try this, I have seen more than a few instances where they packed their own bags and forgot socks or underwear!
Work the System
This system has worked well for us when the kiddos are staying with others but also for us on our family trips, and I hope it helps you too. It will take a few tries for them to get the hang of it and it may take you a few tries to really let go and give them the independence to pack for themselves. I am not at all saying I needed some of that myself ;-). Just know that you can make the adjustments as you need to to make this work for you and as they get older, you can add more responsibilities for them. One thing that always happens to us parents is the constant feeling we have to keep up with the Joneses or do it the way someone else does it. Please don’t fall for this trap, as long as you are meeting your kiddos’ needs, you are doing just fine! How did it go the first time you let your kiddos pack their own bag? Was it as hard for you as it was for me? Let me know in the comments below.
