What’s the one thing you can’t forget to pack?

Going on a trip with the kids? What can’t they live without?

What’s going to be the reason to turn back even if you’re over the bridge and traffic is flowing? What’s going to bring on crying, sadness, and pretty much the end of the world as we, well, they, know it?

Pack That First

Create a pile or at least a clear area near your front door where you can pile things for the trip that you know you won’t miss. If you need to, put it in front of the door so you can’t even open it without moving this pile. Put the most important items there first. Now you can get on with packing.

When you arrive at your destination or (much) worse, just as you’re into cruise control on the open road (does that even exist anymore?), you don’t want drama and a backseat full of teary-eyed regret and true sadness. Do it now, while you’re thinking of it, before you think of yourself. The opposite of when the air pressure in the airplane cabin lowers, think of them first, get their stuffed animal and then you can get your travel coffee mug. Who will cry more later? Who can handle tears better? Who can manage their sadness more stoically?*

Just put it by the door so you trip over it. Ready to hit the road? Whew, now we are.

*If you have trouble answering these, we’ll have to get to those issues in another series of posts.