At what age (or grade) did your child start packing their own lunch?

[Anonymous]

Title says it all.

[Anonymous]

Age 8

[Anonymous]

8 and 5 because little brother was NOT going to be shown up by big brother. I think he packed exactly the same lunch every day of Kindergarten and First Grade, which made it easier.

[Anonymous]

Probably never. I never did until I was in college. My father found it easier to just prepare everything himself in the morning. I never had chores either. And yet, as soon as I was on my own, I never had any trouble doing everything myself, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. It's laughable how people on DCUM fall all over themselves trying to have the youngest kids doing chores and being independent, when it really doesn't make any difference in the end when they're adults.

[Anonymous]

Ds started in maybe fourth grade I think? Dd is in fourth now and only does it occasionally. She’s hard to get up in the morning and usually simply doesn’t have time. Ds is early to bed, early to rise so it’s easier with him.

[Anonymous]

First. She needs help opening jars, but she does all the rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Probably never. I never did until I was in college. My father found it easier to just prepare everything himself in the morning. I never had chores either. And yet, as soon as I was on my own, I never had any trouble doing everything myself, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. It's laughable how people on DCUM fall all over themselves trying to have the youngest kids doing chores and being independent, when it really doesn't make any difference in the end when they're adults.

Hah, same here. I never really had any chores except for helping dry the pots and pans after dinner. I am fully capable of getting everything done now and had no problem transitioning into adulthood. My husband, on the other hand, had a ton of chores and he is terrible when it comes to responsibility around the house. My kids are in 5th and 3rd and I still pack their lunches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Probably never. I never did until I was in college. My father found it easier to just prepare everything himself in the morning. I never had chores either. And yet, as soon as I was on my own, I never had any trouble doing everything myself, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. It's laughable how people on DCUM fall all over themselves trying to have the youngest kids doing chores and being independent, when it really doesn't make any difference in the end when they're adults.

I have to agree with this. I didn’t have chores growing up, and I never packed a lunch either. I was fine on my own. My 15 yo has been packing her own lunch for years. It’s all the same in the end.

[Anonymous]

Summer before first (camp lunches).

[Anonymous]

Randomly over the years on and off for both of my kids but
middle school for my oldest to do it consistently every day and prepare ahead. At that point he got really into sports and understood how food affected his performance. He was all about measuring protein, water intake, etc. That was the motivation. All of my chore assigning and trying to get them to be more independent in the earlier years had no effect.

[Anonymous]

My kid is 9 and I still do hers. I make my lunch for work at night so I make them both at the same time, less clean up. She had gone thru phases of wanting to do it herself but it lasts a couple days then she’s done.

[Anonymous]

Still do my 9 and 6 year olds lunches, and plan to for the foreseeable future. I’d rather make the lunches than clean up after the two of them doing it themselves.

[Anonymous]

My D is a sophomore in HS and I still pack hers. It's easier for me to do it as I'm making dinner for the family. If it were up to her, she'd likely forget. I don't mind and know that she's getting a decent meal during school.

[Anonymous]

3rd grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:8 and 5 because little brother was NOT going to be shown up by big brother. I think he packed exactly the same lunch every day of Kindergarten and First Grade, which made it easier.

Exactly this but with girls. 3rd grade DD is an early riser and gets up and packs her lunch. She was packing for her K sister as well until K DD said NO WAY and started doing it herself. Awesome for me.