I used to draw little pictures next to the words so that Ruben could pack without assistance, but this was the first time that Ruben read the words and drew the pictures for Julio.
After some helpful suggestions from Ruben, Julio was very proud of writing his first "X."
My friend, Melissa, suggested using these very lightweight reusable grocery bags for packing. They are perfect for our weekend trips. I hang them on the doorknobs in the hall, right next to the packing list, and the boys run back and forth to their dressers, collecting items from the list and filling their bags. As soon as they are done, I check their work, tie the bags shut and throw them all in a big duffel bag. This bag system makes it so simple for the boys to keep track of their own clothes once we reach our destination.
Packing for everybody used to be a dreaded chore for me, but now the boys get excited when they see me working on their list and they treat packing more like a game. It doesn't exactly save time yet, but I can see that they will be very good at packing for themselves before long, and I look forward to the day when they will be able to take charge of the whole process.
Do you have any favorite packing tips? I'm so curious about what other families do to get ready for a trip.
That's so much better than my way, which is that I let the girls pack for themselves, but then I pack extra things for them, too, and then I throw lots of things in the back of the car at the last minute, and then usually we have to stop at a drugstore to buy someone a toothbrush.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this system! I'm sooo taking my cues from you!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great idea, I'm hoping my mommy brain will retain this information for when my 1 year old is old enough to help. I recently found your blog and love all your ideas and suggestions. Thank you so much!
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