Parents of college kids: Care packages?

Grizzly · Dec 7, 2010

We sent exam care packages to the boys last week. The first was a breeze, handled by the residence dining hall service. The second, not so much. Still, we thought it was a great idea - let them know we're thinking about them, give them a little something to nosh on while cramming.
 
What do you do?

Mrtambalynman · Dec 7, 2010

My kids are too young for this yet, but I will note that in 8 years of post secondary education I never once received a care package. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Grizzly <a href="/forum/thread/71551/parents-of-college-kids-care-packages#post_1967978"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> We sent exam care packages to the boys last week. The first was a breeze, handled by the residence dining hall service. The second, not so much. Still, we thought it was a great idea - let them know we're thinking about them, give them a little something to nosh on while cramming.
 
What do you do?
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4boysmom · Dec 7, 2010

I never got any care packages. Son1 is still living at home. I'm just making sure he's stocked with pop tarts and soda.

airehead · Dec 8, 2010

With a husband who deploys and a son who lives far away, I have mailed just under a brazillion care packages.
 
I have gotten a few.

katholeenie · Dec 8, 2010

Home made cookies, ground coffee or cocoa mix, art supplies (i was an art major), a nice "I'm thinking of you" letter, goofy little toys, a book I might enjoy reading, funny socks, funny boxers, candy that I like...
 
Sometimes they were themed - around valentine's day everything in the box would be red, pink or white. For St. Pat's everything would be green. Not that I got one for every holiday, but depending on when the package was being sent they would coordinate the stuff with what was going on that month. I probably got maybe 1 per semester, if I hadn't been home for a while or for a pick-me-up if I was having a rough time.
 
My sister sent more of them than my parents did.

Rainey · Dec 8, 2010

I always preferred cash

Tech Tee · Dec 8, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Grizzly <a href="/forum/thread/71551/parents-of-college-kids-care-packages#post_1967978"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> We sent exam care packages to the boys last week. The first was a breeze, handled by the residence dining hall service. The second, not so much. Still, we thought it was a great idea - let them know we're thinking about them, give them a little something to nosh on while cramming.
 
What do you do?
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I dunno, since my kid only goes to school 50 minutes away (and, as a matter of fact, only 15 minutes from where DW works). Still, though, she lives on campus.
 
But, I can tell you what I got as a care package when I was in school.
 
Nothing.
 
It's not that my parents didn't care, it was just sort of not the thing back then.

Tech Tee · Dec 8, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Mrtambalynman <a href="/forum/thread/71551/parents-of-college-kids-care-packages#post_1967981"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> My kids are too young for this yet, but I will note that in 8 years of post secondary education I never once received a care package. 

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 Same here. Once, though, I "borrowed" the car, intending to drive it home the next week, and it broke down on the way home (boy, that was fun), and my Dad and Grandfather had to come up the next week to pick up the car after it was fixed (a 4 1/2 hour drive, one way), and he brought me stuff that my mom had tossed in a box. That was really the only package I ever got.
 
Other than that, I can count on one hand the times roommates got packages.

Grizzly · Dec 8, 2010

Well we all went to school in town so care packages were Sunday dinners at home.

Floridaboiler · Dec 8, 2010

My Mom sent care packages around the holidays generally, but I did get them. Usually just extra snacks or something like that.

muzicgrl · Dec 8, 2010

I never once received a care package in my 9 years of college.
 
The only packages I ever received were birthday gifts.

Tech Tee · Dec 8, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Grizzly <a href="/forum/thread/71551/parents-of-college-kids-care-packages#post_1968037"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Well we all went to school in town so care packages were Sunday dinners at home. 
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 While that would have been nice, REAL nice. I thoroughly LOVED living away from home, and loved college.

Grizzly · Dec 8, 2010

I had an apartment 15 minutes walk from campus. 9 o'clock class? 8:40 out of bed, into shower, grab coffee on the way... arrive just in time. I think that's just about what the boys do from residence.

bard73 · Dec 8, 2010

The university had a program where parents could order premade care packages for finals. My mom ordered me one for my 1st finals week freshman year. I think it had cookies, candy bar, little things like that. That was the only official care package. However, when I got a car at the end of my sophomore year, every time I went home for a weekend, my dad would gas up my car for me (It took about 1/3 tank to drive back to school so it got me through a week or so after that).

muzicgrl · Dec 8, 2010

My second year in the residence halls I lived directly across the street from the science building. I could wake up 5 minutes before class and still make it.

airehead · Dec 8, 2010

Amen. And I think my 'rents loved it even more because I was the last kid. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Tech Tee <a href="/forum/thread/71551/parents-of-college-kids-care-packages#post_1968044"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> While that would have been nice, REAL nice. I thoroughly LOVED living away from home, and loved college.
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Mrtambalynman · Dec 8, 2010

In defence of my parents they did give me a old car to use. Unfortunately it was a 1970 VW micro bus. My friends nick named it "Little Auschwitz" because it had an exhaust leak I couldn't afford to fix. It also had no functioning heating system. Still, it was wheels and it was free.....except when it broke.
 
I loved that car.

Ileneforward · Dec 8, 2010

Hah, I moved out at 17, got a job and put myself through college. My father once gave me a $50 bill when he saw me and was shocked at how skinny I was. 
My older brother got paid for the whole way through his PhD, they bought him a car and everything. They just didn't believe in college for girls. <img alt="cool.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/cool.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;">
 
I was too dumb to take out any loans too, so I couldn't afford grad school as well, but at least I never owed any money when I got my degree. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;">

airehead · Dec 8, 2010

funny, my in-laws didn't have much when it came time for my husband, but always had enough to give his little bro.
 
college, car, etc.

Grizzly · Dec 8, 2010

My parents came to me out of the blue after I had graduated and been on my own for a while with a gift of money. They said "We've been helping x and y, and realized that you'd never asked for anything and it wasn't fair."
 
I laughed at them and told them to enjoy their money, I was fine. But I do think that a little token of "love" is a small thing really - we're not helicopter parents. I look at it as an extension of what I used to do when they first started back to "regular" school. I'd slip a treat into their lunch bags or a note of encouragement. Same deal.

Parents of college kids: Care packages?

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