All parents of small children have one. It’s the mom purse or the man bag. It’s full of stuff, and it isn’t until you wash the capacious object that you discover that you have about ten pounds of stuff in the bag.
What is in your mom bag?
With a five-year-old who is taller than most seven-year olds, our lives revolve the next meal. I have portable food like granola bars, and I have portable food gear. Some of this is from Flatterware, a company that produces BPA-free, dishwasher-safe plastic food bowls, plates and cups that are ideal for camping or kid snacks. While I usually carry a Klean Kanteen water bottle that is made out of stainless steel, I seem to forget it with great regularity, especially for those little trips that turn into big adventures. I love having a durable fold-up water cup that we can fill at water fountains and in other public places. The plastic casing is a little hard for small people to undo, but it prevents the cup from springing up inside your backpack and collecting all of the dirt at the bottom of your pack.
A foldable bowl or other container comes in handy to carry extra food home from a restaurant, to pick berries or other essentials on a walk, or for The Goopy Snack That Must Be Contained. Currently, I’m also coveting a utensil roll-up, a towel or a piece of fabric with places for all of my utensils so that they don’t collect dust at the bottom of my bag.
On the other side of the most used items list is the simple foldable grocery bag. There are many brands out there: choose one that is durable, since some of them are pretty but not up to heavy mom and preschooler wear. Fold up and tuck away grocery bags double as carry-alls for all sorts of occasions: library books, extra clothes.
We’re past the damp underwear stage now, but there were days when I carried an entire change of clothes in my bag. It might be prudent to do so now, but more for the occasional water park encounter.
My mom bag also contains an emergency kit. These are available very inexpensively from first aid suppliers, first aid classes. My version includes the necessities like bandaids and wipes and also includes gloves and a mask for emergencies. Although I hope never to use it, it’s always good to be prepared. We also have a cell phone for emergencies.
Of course, we also have all of the other practical essentials: wallet, keys, umbrella, pencils, crayons, sunscreen, an extra hat, sunglasses, bubble mixture. I tell you, my mom bag is like a party in a box. Or a bag. Or something. Whatever it is, it’s heavy and it’s good for almost any occasion, expect perhaps a fancy dress party. Maybe if I added a flashy set of heels and brought the bubbles along….
Image courtesy of branox at stock exchange.