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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Not to pack for DD 15

203 replies

Bettycrocker7 · 01/08/2025 14:33

Eldest DD is a few months shy of 16.
UK holiday booked for a year now, we leave Monday morning.
DD 13 has spent the last week carefully organising outfits pj's swimwear etc. Shes also made a little toiletries bag with makeup, skincare etc. DS11 prefers me to pack for him which is easy as I have full access to his bedroom so I can sort clothes.
Eldest DD does not allow me access to her room so I can't pack her clothes. She also refuses to pack her own clothes or toiletries.
Would it be completely unreasonable of me to give up asking her to pack and just leave her to her own devices? Just had another argument with her after knocking on her door and explaining we are all finishing up on packing now and would she mind bringing her bits downstairs.
We have to share bags as everything needs to fit in the boot. Would it be the end of the world if she spent the next week ( should be 25 degrees most days) with only a handful of clothing? I have bought her a toothbrush and will pack toothpaste and shower gel etc.

OP posts:
Dheops · 06/08/2025 12:45

linelgreen · 06/08/2025 07:14

Surely by 15 sons and daughters should have been taught how to/what to pack for holidays. We started by involving our kids from an early age by talking to them as we packed for them, then we progressed to letting them get their clothes out and putting them onto the bed so that we could check suitability and quantity before we assisted them in packing the case, then moved onto just checking before letting them pack the case themselves and then once we were happy they knew what to do by 13/14 they were more than capable of doing it themselves. I did have list that I printed off for them initially as a reminder with anything specific to the type of holiday added on to assist them.

Sometimes things don't progress linearly like that though. You do that, it works, and you think that was down to your superior parenting. Someone else could do the exact same thing, and end up with a teen in a mental health crisis who barely brushes their teeth and is completely overwhelmed by a task they could do independently at age 7. There is enough in OP's posts to hint at something along those lines going on here.

This too shall pass. Hopefully OP is now enjoying her holiday, complete with daughters and enough pants for everyone.

DorothyWainwright · 06/08/2025 14:34

"you think that was down to your superior parenting" Indeed.

As they say, parents of well behaved children are given too much credit for their behaviour and parents of challenging children are given too much criticism and not enough support. I have one of each. I've put far far more time and effort into my challenging child. My bright, confident child has been straightforward to parent from day 1.

Cherrysoup · 06/08/2025 16:58

Saw this on Vinted.

Not to pack for DD 15
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