AIBU to get annoyed with dh & dc for not helping to pack for jolidays

[FriskyMare]

Why am I the only one capable of packing for weekends away and holidays. Off to France tomorrow, DC out with friends, DH upstairs putting music on ipod leaving me to pack all essentials. Feel like only packing undies for me and seeing what happens...:o

Of course I meant holidays not jolidays! New to all this and never was good at typing.

Maybe because you just do it?
how old are your dcs?
Mine are 8 and 6 and capable of packing for themselves if given a list (and checked afterwards).
DH is 42 and doesn't get a list...
We sometimes divide up the 'joint' stuff - normally I will do the kids and he will do food or activities etc.
But really I think you need to create some different expectations here.

I pack for the kids (age 3 and 6) and me but leave dh to sort out what he wants packing.

I warned my DS aged 15 to pack his own gear for a weekend caravan holiday once...he ignored me and spent the weekend with no underwear at all. He thought I was joking about doing it for him

I would never pack for dh - that's his responsibility and if he forgets something, too bad. I don't do the dcs' packing on my own - we do it together. I instruct (largely) and he gathers things up. We have a list and work through it.

We used to have the most enormous rows about packing. Then we concluded the least stressful way was for me to manage the process and dh to be my packing gimp. Now it's an almost entirely pain free process that we can do relatively quickly. It's all about having a list and not deviating from that list, but working through it in an orderly way, checking things off when they go in the suitcase. I am slightly compulsive about packing - it brings out the best and worst in me.

The dcs are 3 and 5 - they also help out fetching things they need. And I would expect dd (5) to be capable of packing her clothes for a weekend away - she's fairly good at it. I just need to double check she won't be spending the holiday wearing fairy wings and a pair of fleece trousers and nothing else.

I do the DDs packingm but that's mainly because I don't trust DH not to forget something vitally important! I don't pack for DH though. Tell him to pack his own stuff or go with an empty suitcase!

We all pack for ourselves here.

If things have been washed & ironed I might put them aside so that they don´t get worn again.

Then again, I might not...

What age is the DC ?

Not sure why you are packing for DH. I take responsibility for myself plus any essentials i.e. dishwasher tablets etc if self catering. We take turns packing for DS. DH is all on his own and actually is a much better packer than me although usually leaves it until well past the 11th hour.

If you are packing for anyone older than 10 you are being a sucker and deserve it.

I'm rubbish at packing (I'm a sling it in and pray it all fits kinda gal) while DH is very slow meticulous. If I pack my stuff he unpacks it and repacks it while packing his. Instead, we've reached a compromise where I dig out my stuff and DD's stuff (16 months seems a little young!) and he digs out his stuff then I entertain DD while he packs. Also, he packs the car or you can guarantee I will have done it wrong!

That's fine by me though, and it prevents arguments!

I don't pack for anyone in my family except myself. But I do sort all the pre-packing laundry and ironing and make sure everyone has shopped for appropriate holiday clothes.

Mine get given a bag each.
Then I heft DS2's and say suspiciously, 'And are there any clothes in here, DS2?' and he slinks off sheepishly to empty out the Transformers and maybe stick a spare t-shirt in.
Halfway through the week he admits to having nothing left and we call at the nearest charity shop to spend his pocket money on nasty tracksuit.
And repeat next year...

I feel your pain. Left my DH to pack his bag to come home from holiday at the weekend. Got a call to say he's left a drawer full of clothes at the cottage! What a knob.

Don't do it.

My 4 and 7-year-olds help me back them up, a teen or grown adult is left to their own devices.

LAst year DH packed for himself for a fortnight in Lanzarote
He took one pair of shorts, oone pair of trunks, one pair of pants, three t shirts and 6 sopies of the Nationel Geographic.
Twunt.

Well I'm a control freak and like to do the actual packing so I know what's going with us. But everyone is given a deadline by which anything going with has to be on my bed. If it's not there then it doesn't get packed.

Thanks all, maybe its because we are all inherently lazy - them for not packing and me for not making them. All done now, am off to down large glass of wine to prepare my liver for cheap french plonk. :)

Everyone packs for themselves here. The only thing I ask is that if anything needs washing it must be washed by a certain time.

I always do it and pack the car because DP WOULD forget stuff and / or juts chuck it in so it didn't fit, we wouldn't be able o find what we need and I wouldn't be able to see out of the back of the car. His job is to entertain DS while I get it done

'The packing area'
Which wing of the mansion would that be in?

I'm like Galena - my DH does most of the packing; I sort my own clothes out but he does everything else; very meticulous - suits me - I 'supervise' DS's packing (age 9) but DH double checks it !! Should be packing now for a weekend camping but would rather mumsnet !