Suggestions needed.. over the most ridiculous thing..

[Twiglett]

We went on a short break a few weeks ago and I told DS (4) he could pack his new Spiderman backpack with toys and bring them, but he couldn't bring any more than would fit in

Anyway he did (and he packed a load for his baby sister too which I thought was really cute )

But .. he wouldn't unpack them to play with them

And .. he still won't

He carries this blinkin' backpack upstairs with him at night and sleeps with it in bed with him, he carries it downstairs in the morning

He rarely plays with the toys in it, if he empties it its for 20 minutes and then it gets re-packed (small whinge about zip not closing easily cos its so stuffed)

Anyhoo .. it is beginning to annoy me .. I want him to unpack it, put his poor toys away, play with them like a normal kid and use the backpack for swimming

But its life and death this backpack

its driving me ma.a.a.d

so I need suggestions on how to either a) get him to unpack it or b) stop having periods of actually caring that he's lugging a great big backpack stuffed full of knights, power rangers and mutant hero turtles

(I even found 3 socks, a pair of pants and a toothbrush in it yesterday )

[Twiglett]

ooo now that was a long rant

[JoolsToo]

oooh - he's getting ready to leave home

lock the doors!

[SoupDragon]

pmsl

Have you actually suggested to him that he pack his swimming gear in it instead?

[maisystar]

lol ds does this all the time(although he stops short of sleeping with the bag!)

don't worry about it, he sounds like a cutie send the swimming stuff in a carrier bag!

[foxinsocks]

much sympathy

perhaps my ds can accompany yours (he's 4 this year) because he does exactly the same with his Thomas backpack. It even goes to school with him, gets hung on his peg and brought back home without so much as the zip being even slightly undone. He has put his favourite shirt in and some sundry knights and dinosaurs and at the moment, it's sitting at the end of his bed so he can keep an eye on it while he sleeps.

[HUNKERMUNKER]

Oh, bless him! He's in training for being an annoying husband who won't unpack after coming home from holiday, Twiglett!

Suggestions...hmm...will ponder. In the meantime, give him a cuddle from this Sneaky one - he sounds adorable

(Has he unpacked your DD's toys?!)

[colditzmum]

Talking of odd 4 year old boy attachments, my brother became extrmely attached to a dead mackerel's head. My dad had to throw it over a hedge while he wasn't looking, he had had it 5 days at that point.

[Twiglett]

ROFLMAO @ 'my brother became extrmely attached to a dead mackerel's head'

[HUNKERMUNKER]

What's in the backpack today, Twiglett?

[Mirage]

How cute & funny Twiglett.He sounds a lovely little chap.

We had a mystery today,Dh went to put dd's (18 months) slippers on for her & couldn't get them on.He checked inside & they were both stuffed with kapok.Neither of us has done it,so she must have,but where has it come from? We have checked her soft toys for signs of disembowellment,but they all look fine.

Very odd.

[SenoraPostrophe]

aaaw. Dd does this with her handbag, although she doesn't take it to bed with her.

[sansouci]

ADORE dead mackerel's head! Does he say why he wants to keep everything packed, Twig?

[aloha]

I think it's really normal...they are loving the fact that they have things that are just theirs. Tinky Winky has his handbag, doesn't he . Force yourself to think of something else when you start to feel irritated! Or eat cake.

[psychomum5]

Am thinking this is a 4yr old boy thing. My son (DS1) is also 4 and also has to have his Bob Builder bag go EVERYWHERE with us, stuff full of stones, cars, spidermen....anything of value to him really.
I also have to check all his pockets before his clothes go in the wash as they too are subjected to his 'treasures'...the main thing in pockets are those sycamore 'helicopter' seed pods...he loves them!
I have also had his school teacher ask me to check his pockets as they find that he thinks the trains in class are his 'treasures' too.

Weird creatures these boys aren't they????

Still laughing at the 'dead mackerals head'!!!!!

[Twiglett]

every time I ask we have this conversation

me: "why won't you unpack the bag darling"

DS: "I'm packing it for our holiday"

me: "but we've come back from holiday, we're at home now and your toys want to be put away"

DS: "I'm packing it for our next holiday"

me: "we're not going on holiday for a long time now"

DS: "Yes we are mummy"

me: "no we're not darling"

DS: "Yes we are, we're going tommorrow"

me: "no we're not"

DS: "Its for our holiday next year mummy"

me: "we're not going on holiday"

DS: "Yes we are mummy"

me: "Look just unpack the bloody bag will you"

DS: "No mummy"

pause, 2, 3, 4...

DS: " ...... waaaaaaah ... mummy I can't do the zip (too many toys in it) can you help me zip it up"

me: "aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhh"

[Kayleigh]

oh Twiglett LOL
It's so funny when it isn't your child.

[psychomum5]

What would he do if you just unpacked it for him????

Do you need him to tho....?????

In my sons case, it was easier to let him get on with it...every so often he unpacks and repacks with new toys. I think he just likes having a bag to take out with him when we do go out anywhere, like a comfort thing.

Not unlike me and my handbag tho really!!

[Twiglett]

what would he do if I unpacked it for him?



he'd give me a withering look and re-pack it

[Marina]

Agree with Kayleigh - this is one of those threads where you can have a supportive (of course) snort at someone else's child's daft quirks. Sorry Twig

[JoolsToo]

at least his toys are tidily out of the way!

know when you're on a winner

[HUNKERMUNKER]

Twiglett, thank you for the update. I've been thinking of the exploits of MiniTwig (and told DH about him too - he thinks he's ace, btw ).

He has given MiniTwigette her toys back, right?

[silvera]

LOL it's so cute, it sounds as if he is using it as a secutity item. At about 12m my son would pull the cover off his cot every night to cuddle, whenever he was feeling tired or sorry for himself during the day, off he would go and re-appear with sheet, when he moved into his big bed he kept his sheet, it would follow us everywhere, and he would throw a wobbly if I washed it, I hated it, as much as he loved it, it was named "kuggles" and was his best friend. He is nearly 9 now, and although he'd never admit it to anyone, I bet you can guess whats still under his pillow

[princesspeahead]

I read this thread yesterday and have spent 24 hrs giggling at the boy who "became extremely attached to a dead mackerel's head". thank you for starting it, twig, and for sharing, colditzmum!!!!!

twig, cod's ds fell in love with his bicycle helmet at the same age - wore it everywhere and took it to bed with him. there is a thread on it somewhere, about 2 years ago... he grew out of it EVENTUALLY!

[Twiglett]

Just had to update this

Today, pox-ridden DS turned round to me and said

"Daddy said we can't go on holiday again until I get rid of the bloody bag"

I gulped down a grin and said "Daddy said what darling?"

"Daddy said I've got to get rid of the bloody bag. Do I have to get rid of the bloody bag mummy?"

ROFLMAO

[Katemum]

My dh wants to know what the hell I am sitting here giggling at He sounds wonderful.