As a dad, I do not relish the idea of taking my wife’s diaper bag out to the park when I am on baby patrol. Why? To me, her bag is filled with things I don’t think I’ll need when we’re away from home and secondly, it’s too big and too floral! Even though my wife has saved us plenty of times with her Mary Poppins bag of tricks, it’s not necessarily the bag I want to take with me when I’m out with the kids.
Dad’s like to call it a pack , not a bag, because dads are good packers. We pack the car, sports equipment and (sometimes) lunches. A pack we can handle, a diaper bag, we can’t. Since we aren’t used to carrying bags on our shoulders, we aren’t very good at it. We look awkward and uncomfortable and occasionally, we tend to drop items whenever we pick it up (sorry).
When I pack my diaper pack, it is usually for a temporary and scheduled period of time, so the items inside are very straightforward and calculated.
Here’s what I keep inside:
- Two diapers - one for a 2-3 hour change, and one for a blow out. If I experience more than one blow out, I will ask a mom for a loaner, or I will improvise.
- One change of clothing per child — only shorts and a shirt.
- One snack per child
- One toy per child
- One bottle of water per child
- One pack of wipes
- One disposable changing pad
- A bottle of sunscreen
- A small first aid kit containing bandaids and antibiotic ointment
I always make sure there is a wipeable pocket for “wet or soiled” clothing and I make sure I have plenty of zippered compartments and clips so that everything I will need is easily accessible. I know where everything is within my Diaper Pack because each item has a place – and I packed it there.
I can throw my Diaper Pack over my shoulders, pick up the little guy, and hit the road — to the beach, park, or for a drive — and feel confident knowing I have what I need to keep my kids happy and enjoying life.
Does your partner carry around a separate “pack” for daddy outings?
