Care Packages

J

JamesVanKirk09

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5-Year Member
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Feb 18, 2009
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Hi all. I was just looking at the gift thread and it got me thinking. What kind of things are appropriate to send mids during plebe summer in care packages? I really have no idea what to say when friends and family ask what they should send me.
 
Tell them they should be of the mind set, that money is no object.

Just kidding... if you are having a going away party, take lots of photos, and have someone print them out, and include a few in the mail every day or two, that way during your toughest times you are reminded of good times.

Plebe Summer is like boot camp, kind of. So care packages during that time should be items that inspire, motivate and break the cycle of stress.

After Plebe Summer, they can be more substance and less inspiration.

JB
 
JB is correct. Pictures are the best thing you can send your Plebe during PS. Leave care packages to mom and maybe Grandmom - especially if she bakes!

Start looking now for fun cards, cards from your Hometown, cards from places your mid likes. Send a card, not much has to be written as quite frankly they don't have a lot of time to read. Write very legibly and large for the same reason (we got a note from our Plebe at the time asking that Grandma print as he did not have time to read her writing!)

Include a few pictures in every card. I also requested his friends to send pictures all summer to me (things they would have posted on facebook of summer's activities etc ) I printed off 3x5 pictures and included those. I sent a card every day. One or two lines of what we were doing, a bit of inspiration and Dad a few lines on updates to Tour de France and World Cup Soccer (even though they do read the paper during PS it gave Dad a topic!) And then two or three pictures. I did not miss a day - now they will not necessarily get mail every day so some days he got multiples. When his stuff came home at the end of Plebe Ac year, he had a nice tight package of all the pictures and cards and asked that they be put in his keepsake box. They obviously meant a lot.
 
j

I am already gathering funny, inspirational cards I see to use during plebe summer. When older son went to college, I began buying postcards from the various places I travel for my work. Some silly, some funny, some historical. I carried postcard stamps and would dash off a note. Even with cell phone, email, etc unlimited at his university choice, it meant alot to receive real mail!

But on the original intent of this thread....what about what NOT to send? Chocolate is the only suggestion I have read so far NOT to send. Anything else?:confused:
 
I don't think you should send their teddy bear. LOL. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)
 
While I was at Target yesterday I grabbed a Sterilite shoe box. At home I found out that it doesn't fit into the USPS shoe box sized box. The Rubbermaid box seemed even wider.

Does anyone have suggestions for other brands and where to buy them?
 
The first plastic shoe box size I bought also did not fit in the Postal service flat rate box - I just wrapped the plastic one in paper from a paper bag and sent so that he would have a nice shoe box for his food to start with.

What not to send:
No over the counter medicines like Advil - it will be taken away.
No junk food - snacks should be healthy - although I sent gummy bears as he has always used them after running - they were not taken away.
No excessive cleaning supplies - they will be issued everything they need.
Nothing that would embarrass your Plebe when box is opened in public
Nothing that would require a Plebes time - magazines, books

Do not write cutesy stuff on the outside of the envelopes....the rule is to draw no undue attention to your plebe! Especially tell this to Girl Friends.

Here is the list of suggestions that our Parents Club gives to all of our Plebes to Be parents before IDAY:

You know your plebe so send things they like.
The following are suggested items for care packages:
• Plastic Shoe Box With Snap On Lid (keeps bugs out)
• Individual Fruit Packages
• Power Bars
• Pop-Tarts
• Hard Candies
• Beef Jerky
• Nuts
• Soft Granola Bars
• Small Boxes Of Cereal
• Fruit Roll Ups
• Dried Fruit
• Cup-O-Soup
• Peanut Butter And Cheese Crackers
• Powdered Sports Drinks And A Bottle To Mix Them In
• individual servings of applesauce
• Baggie With The Fork, Spoon And Napkin
• Individual Wet Wipes
• Mole Skin For Blisters
• Cough Drops Throat Lozenges
• Liquid Hand Sanitizer
• Chap stick, ESP With SPF
• Gold Bond Powder
• Odor Eaters Or Gel Shoe Inserts
• Black Pens
• Parade Dress Black shoe polish - sometimes the mid store will sell out of
• 1-2” wide masking tape to take lint off uniforms - or other type of lint remover
• Shout Wipes, tide pen, Bleach pen, paper white out (they can paint black marks off white shoes)
• White Chalk To Cover Marks On White Uniforms
• Febreze
• Rolls Of Quarters For The Vending Machines - some companies will not let them go to the vending machine
• Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelopes - some companies supply
 
^^^ that's why you're a Profmom, and I'm just a regular mom :) Thanks for the great and simple solution.

The list is great also. Love the warning to the G-friends.
 
The girlfriend warning is so good.

When I was in basic, I had a girlfriend send me a "sexy" photo. The DI felt the letters before handing them out, and if it was believed to contain photos, sticks of gum or things like that, he would open it first.

He opened this one, saw the photo and tacked on his bulletin board in his duty hut. He told me I wanted it, all I had to do was say "I QUIT" and I could take it on my way home.

During the ceremony before graduation, where he went through and pinned our Eagle, Globe and Anchor's on, he had the photo and slipped it into my left breast pocket as I stood at attention.

I have to tell you, it's been 25 years and I'm still pissed off at Sgt Watkins for doing that. But I think I was more pissed at her for sending it.

jb
 
Very funny...

I've been married for 19 years, and it's not to the girl that sent the photo.....

Soooo..... I will never admit to asking for the photo, or even looking at it. Only that it was put in my pocket by someone else:smile::smile:
 
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