<p>I agree with not packing gaming systems, or favorite games or the controllers. lol When my older son went off to college, we had an agreement that he wouldn’t take his Wii until we’d seen his first semester’s grades. However, on Move In Day, his suitemates had already installed theirs in the living room along with Guitar Hero (new to S1 at the time)…by the end of Move In Day, S1 was hooked on GH. In the end it worked out as he made the Presidential List every semester. (thank goodness!) I guess GH turned out to be a stress reliever.</p>
<p>I think sending the game system, but “forgetting” to send the cord would be great! ;O</p>
<p>When DS went away to his first boy scout camp (having come up through cub scouts where Mom packed everything), the leaders insisted that the boys pack their own bags. That way Mom could NOT be blamed for forgetting to send something since Mom wasn’t the one that packed. I suppose I probably still helped with that first camp, looking over his shoulder with the checklist, but he has packed for the other trips himself - including two 12-day hiking trips at Philmont. It’s amazing what they can do when we let them!! :)</p>
<p>Isn’t the whole point of college letting kids gain responsibility over their own lives?</p>
<p>My girls have been doing their own laundry since about 5th grade. When D1 came downstairs and started saying things like wash this on this and this on this. I looked at her and said, there it is. Have at it. If you know that stuff then you can wash your own clothes. They have both been packing their own bags for trips, church camp, school camps, overnight stays, etc since elementary school. I’ll ask them if they have some items and then that is it. I do agree, letting them start young does make them more accountable for their own belongings and actions. Takes the burden of forgetting or messing something up off mom/dad. </p>
<p>D1 packed all of her stuff for college this summer. A few things we both overlooked, like lightbulbs, duh! Buy a lamp and forget it needs bulbs. That is expected. We both took responsibility for that.</p>
<p>Just don’t ask D1 to cook anything for you. She almost burnt down Lakeside this summer when she did not realize she had to add water to the microwave easy mac. D2 is a different animal. She cooks and bakes all the time.</p>
<p>^^LOL! DD2 literally nuked a dry cup o soup in the microwave at a hotel we were staying at once - the smoke was unbelievable, and the hotel management was as hot as the noodles! </p>
<p>She, too, is a seasoned cook (pun intended). Claims she was distracted and thought she had already put the water in.</p>
<p>I guess everyone can have a brain lapse from time to time…</p>