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MAMMA? I AM OUT OF MAC AND CHEESE!Jan 05 '01 Write an essay on this topic.When your child calls home from school and refers to you as "mommy" or "mamma", it is usually followed by a request for something. I was no different. When I was away at college, I was either calling home because I needed to hear their voices or because I was in need of something. Those care packages from home are as much a part of college life as the courses and are necessary to survive. I missed my family. My parents and my sisters were very good at sending care packages on a regular basis. I could expect to receive one from them at least once every couple of weeks if not sooner. I came to rely on those little blessings from home to get me through. It is important for parents to know the basics about sending care packages so I am going to lay it out for you. Comfort Foods I could have lived on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches forever but I always looked forward to the "heavy" packages from home because I knew they would include my much needed comfort foods. The staples included Spaghettios with sliced franks or those tasty little meatballs, Chunky soups, a box of Velveeta cheese, macaroni and cheese, microwave popcorn, and yes more peanut butter. Brain food. Those Little Debbie snack cakes were always a nice bonus too but never lasted much longer than the night I received them. The best advice I can give is to know what your child likes and probably doesn't have the extra cash to pick up on their own. Okay so they aren't the most nutritional foods that you can send to your child but these are expenditures that I couldn't afford and so desperately loved. I am sure my mom winced every time she was packing these boxes. To ease her guilt for sending me junk foods, I could always count on the individual fruit cups or applesauce. Personal Necessities Once a month my package included laundry soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, dishwashing soap, deodorant, and some hair care products. These too were much appreciated items as they can be very expensive for the college kid on a limited budget. My parents were always sure to include a couple rolls of quarters to do laundry. Sending coins was smart on their part. Otherwise, the money might have gone to pizza or some other unnecessary purchase. I must admit that on occasion I did dip into the coins for a late night run to Taco Bell if I was a little low on cash. Other necessary items might include feminine hygiene products and toilet paper. Once every couple of months I could count on them to send me a package of underwear too. I am sure they knew I wouldn't go spend what money I had on this type of thing. Supplies Needed A student can always use and will definitely need notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, and White-out. This was usually the type of thing my sisters enjoyed sending because they would buy me the wackiest stuff like Star Wars folders, smiley face pencils, and other silly items. I am sure they thought it was embarrassing for me to take these to class but the truth is that I got the biggest kick out of these items the most. Entertainment Is A Must Unless I was going on a date, entertainment was not big on my budget so it was nice when my family would send gift certificates for restaurants, movie rentals, or some other form of entertainment. Most towns regardless of size will have a video rental store or chain restaurants. Even if it is just McDonald's, these types of items are always appreciated. There were times when my mom would send a home video, which was always good for a tear or two but it was nice to be able to watch when I was really homesick. Final Thoughts If you take a page from my mom's book, she always stocked up on sale items. For example, if shampoo was on sale really cheap, she would buy a couple bottles and send them when needed. I bet not one of the packages sent was more than twenty dollars worth of stuff with the exception of the large grocery package each month but each one was worth a million bucks to me. I can't tell you how excited I would get ripping open those boxes when they arrived. Bottom line is that you know your kid better than anyone so you most likely know what they need or don't need. My parents knew the things I would spend money on and the things that I would rather go without than part with my last few bucks. If you keep this in mind when putting together a care package, you will do just fine.  |
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