Bloggers get a lot of press releases, pitches and proposals. I’m fairly picky about what I share, I really want the information on Julieverse to benefit my readers, and to be relevant to my themes and topics. So, today, when I received an email titled “5 Back-to-School Supplies not to Buy” I was curious. What type of item would a website unrecommend for school?
I’ll be first to share that I roll my eyes at some of the school supplies. Big’s second-grade list was bigger than all of the others in his school.
He needed colored pencils and markers and crayons. He needed a pencil sharpener. He needed 4 glue sticks, even though they’re sold 3 in a pack. And they had to be 7 oz. each, which was likely a typo because they aren’t sold that big. (The glue stick hoarding might have been the most frustrating on our list.)
So, expecting a tongue-in-cheek post, I clicked. Hoping for inspiration.
Oh. I was inspired. Red Plum’s editor had posted 5 items that are required on nearly every list. And then they went on to argue them.
But here’s where they were wrong: They didn’t ask a teacher. Well, sure. They had a quote from a teacher that was shocked at how much it costs during back-to-school season, but in their list of items people don’t need, the writers did not have a clear understanding of why the items were on the list. They went on and on releasing judgement, yet nowhere was a teacher asked why she chose these items.
So. Allow me.
Backpack
Yes. Red Plum agrees, kids need backpacks. But Red Plum argues that children don’t need new backpacks. Okay, I’ll agree with that. Children don’t need new backpacks.
However, parents, please make sure that all zippers work, all clips close securely and there are no holes at the bottom.
Additionally, if your school allows packs that have wheels, be certain that the wheel pack wheels are in working order. There is *nothing* worse than a student who’s wheel is broken and who can’t lift her bag.
- It is with good reason that schools don’t allow wheeled backpacks. They’re dangerous. Have you ever been tripped in the airport? Or, perhaps, tripped someone else? Imagine doing that in a busy, crowded hallway. Worse, imagine being a child trying to wheel through a crowd, or a skinny aisle on the school bus, with big feet blocking the way.
- Plus, these bags break more easily.
- Of course, there’s the flip side. Many students bring home super-heavy backpacks that weigh them down. And the children don’t wear their backpacks correctly, pulling them out of alignment.
- Wheeled backpacks do that as well: try wheeling a 20-pound pack around the neighborhood for an hour and you’ll see what I mean.
Scissors
Red Plum states that scissors don’t need to be replaced either. Last time I checked, kids hands grow.
As teachers are still trying to teach children to cut correctly, they need scissors that actually fit their hands. Also, at younger ages they need blunt scissors, while around 2nd grade, they switch to sharp.
However, if your kids’ scissors make it through the school year in good enough shape to be used again, and used well, and they’re still the right size and shape, go for it. Reuse them.
72 pencils (or bulk of anything)
Okay. I have never heard of a child needing this many pencils. However. I have heard of 12. Even 24. But Red Plum is advising parents to not send them all in at the beginning of the year. They recommend staggering: “And some moms believe this staggered approach is preferable anyway, because your child may not end up needing all of the supplies.”
While I understand and recognize their point, that less pencils will be lost if they aren’t in school to lose them, I advise parents not to follow these instructions, for a few reasons:
- Teachers have their reasons. My son’s teacher collects all pencils (24 each child) on the first day of school and keeps them in a big box. Each morning, he claims his pencil for the day. When a child needs a new one, he reaches in. At the end of the day, the pencil goes back in the big box. But she expects everyone to hand all of the pencils in on the first day so that they all enter the same number of pencils.
- Rationing your child’s pencils makes your child different. While different is good, different in that your mommy has to babysit your pencils isn’t a good different. Help your child to be independent and give him his pencils.
Purple Binders
So, this is Red Plum’s way of complaining that teachers are too specific in their requests. Jean, one of their Facebook fans, says “I think they get a little too detailed, with color specifics of folders, binders, brands they want, etc.”
Next, Angie (who I assume is another Red Plum Facebook fan) said “The teacher asked for white she got blue because that’s what my child used last year.” Oh, Angie, I am so so sorry for your child.
A huge responsibility of teachers is to teach organization. By specifying colors, your child’s folders will each have a purpose. A red folder may be a homework folder. A green folder may be for storing important learning papers and a yellow may be a math folder.
Some children, many children, need multiple cues: “Take out your blue social studies folder” to learn organization. It’s far less confusing for children in one room to be consistent in their colors.
If your child misses the instruction, he can glance at the child next to him and see a blue folder and know exactly what he needs, without embarrassingly interrupting.
Also? Really? I’ve never met a person who didn’t need to replace a folder after 180 days of opening and closing one.
Tissues and wipes
Really, Red Plum? You’re complaining about cleanliness and germs here. If the schools didn’t collect these, can you imagine the snot and germs to be spread from child to child?
Would you rather your child’s classroom run out, so that Joey gets slimed every time he touches his science partner’s desk?
Sometimes less is more doesn’t work. This is one of those times. Be hopeful that any extras will be donated.
Look. I don’t want to spend a lot of money either. Shopping for school supplies can add up and there are plenty of great ways to save: coupons, comparison shop or bulk order with friends.
Just do your child a favor: help him to be organized and prepared, and just buy what the teachers ask for. They have their reasons.
We recommend these resources: Student Checklist – Backpack: 31 Days of Back to School
