We bought school supplies a couple weeks ago. I was just going through what we bought and getting it in Dude’s backpack so he can take it to school at orientation night instead of having to lug it all on the bus. I already think the way they do school supplies in Dude’s district stinks - all supplies are community, you’re not allowed to label anything and who knows what they’ll actually get to use during the year. But I also think Dude’s teacher is getting some kind of kickback from the people who make school supplies or Wal-mart. I mean really - when you consider what was on his list and how the items are packaged at the store, there can be no other explanation! For example . . .
The list required 3 large pink erasers. Large pink erasers come in packs of 2 or 4.
The list required one 2″ 3-ring binder. Binders come in 1 1/2″ sizes. I did find a 2″ binder in the office supply section, but it didn’t have a snowboarder on it, man! Just not cool 
The list required 3 glue sticks. Like erasers, glue sticks come in packs of 2 or 4.
The list requires one package of eight 3-ring binder tabs. 3-ring binder tabs come in packages of 5. I had to go to an actual office supply store for these!
The list requires, get this, 20 sharpened #2 pencils - Dixon brand please. Are you kidding me? Um, Wal-mart doesn’t carry Dixon-Ticonderoga brand pencils. Again, office supply store. And, 20 is obviously the stupidest amount on the planet because, um, pencils come in packs of 12 or 24. It’s called a dozen, a standard measure for packaging items like, oh, I don’t know, PENCILS! This, by the way, reminds me I have to get Dude to sharpening his pencils this weekend . . . I bought an electric pencil sharpener last year when he was required to take 30 pencils to school!
The list requires 1 . . . yes a whopping 1 . . . dry erase marker. At Wal-mart, the smallest package we found had 5 dry erase markers in it. And really - what can you do with 1 dry erase marker? Last year, each kid was required to bring a pack of 8, and the teacher went through all of them before Christmas - which is no surprise since chalk boards no longer exist. But really, 1 friggin’ dry erase marker?
The list requires a box of 10 colored pencils. Again, with the pencils. Colored or not, they come in a pack of 12. One dozen.
The list requires one 3-ring zippered binder for transporting “stuff” to and from school. This is where I went off the board and bought him a backpack, too. I know, I’m a rebel, but all the other moms are doing it! You see, backpacks are not ”encouraged” at his school (oh, and there are no lockers, either). Um, sorry, but a backpack is kind of required when you require the kids to have boots to play outside in the winter when it, you know, SNOWS a gazillion feet, but they’re not allowed to wear said boots inside the school when they’re wet. When I think of Dude carrying his boots to school, it reminds me of that Little House on the Prairie when Misses Olsen did something really stupid and mean again, so Charles made her give each of his daughters a new pair of shoes for retribution . . . all 3 girls were walking down the dirt road with their new shoes slung over their shoulders . . . and if I remember correctly, they had to walk uphill both ways, in the snow in the winter!
So there you have it . . . just a few reasons why I think Dude’s teacher is getting kickbacks from the school supply people or Wal-mart or something. Also just a few reasons why I hate buying school supplies - well, that’s not true - I actually like it. It’s fun! And annoying at the same time. Next year, Staples is my friend - we’re getting school supplies there. At $4 a gallon, it’s worth the price of gas to go to one store for all of my school supply needs instead of drive all over town to find some friggin’ tab dividers . . . for a THIRD GRADER!
I don’t even have a list yet. Last year I received their lists 2 days after school started. And guess what….when you wait till 2 days after school has started to buy your supplies your shit out of luck because EVERYone is sold out of EVERYthing! So I’ll be winging it this year and purchasing what I think they may need.
I like buying school supplies too but this year I went with the school’s supply drive where you pay said amount and you get all the supplies you need rather than having to drive to 3 different stores to get everything. I still have to get backpacks and so forth but not 2.3 erasers. You should head that up at the school next year. You have extra time on your hands, don’t you? ha ha
I just read your post over “on the flipside” about guns and laughed. And you are so right about the hot dogs being for another discussion! LOL!
I have to agree about the school supplies too. I have 5 to buy supplies for and even combining the amounts that are needed, I seem to always end up with needing just one more and having to buy another package.
My 6th grader’s list says “backpack not needed”. Mine will have a backpack, something about being able to keep up with everything….I don’t know…call me crazy…but I think a backpack IS needed!
Yo Deb! We can buy the EduPaks from the PTO. But really, there’s something about buying school supplies . . . I’m a freak - but I actually LIKE it! And besides, if they gave me exactly what I needed, then what would I have to possibly complain about?
I do think that when Princess gets to public school next year, I’ll fork over the extra $5 per kid and just buy the preboxed EduPak sets they have at school. The money goes to a good place I guess, and then I won’t have to go to my bad place
Seriously? That is just craziness! And I’m a teacher. I have only worked in one school that had kids bring supplies. The other 2 places I worked provided it all. But, kids always come with supplies anyway. And I know with the cost of everything- many schools do ask kids to bring their own supplies so they can spend the money that would have gone to supplies on other things (in an ideal world like more teachers or computers or new textbooks). And I have no problem asking when school ask for supplies to come with kids but they do need to be reasonable about it. I’ve never heard of the community supplies. Usually what you buy you use…..I guess I learned something new today
Yeah, I’m with you there! I checked out Little Bear’s supply list for kindergarten, and they’re so specific. They actually specify name brands, and at the top of the list they’re like, “Make sure you buy the name brands we are telling you to buy, because we’ve found that they’re higher quality.” So, is the kid going to flunk kindergarten if she has Roseart brand crayons instead of Crayola? Or glue sticks from the dollar store instead of Elmer’s Glue Sticks? Huh.
I went yesterday and bought school supplies for my three oldest kids and walked out of Office Depot having spend a little over $400 - YES! Granted, there were two back-packs and a couple lunch boxes - a few items for my office - but - $400 and it was all required supplies. I should have gone to Big Lots (right next door) and bought some of the items first - A LOT cheaper.
Take care - Kellan
That’s crazy! I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with that yet. When I was teaching the school provided all of that kind of stuff for the kids. It must be the districts crazy way of trying to save money.
I never knew school’s supplied school supplies! I remember buying them when I was a kid! It was the best part of going back to school - picking out which folders you wanted. Which, BTW, eventhough the school pack has folders, I will let the girls pick out “cool” ones to have! They need to have something different!
I just bought school supplies for the first time last week — and I found the same thing with the packaging. It was really annoying, but at the same time, I loved buying school supplies. I always loved that when I was in school. Especially the smell of it all…
I hate having to buy school supplies! Due to the stupid packaging and he request for odd number items You either have to over buy supplies or you are short on stuff. And it always seems that AFTER you buy all your supplies all the prices go way down!
And I never understood why I had to buy supplies for the entire class along with all the other parents! Where does the over flow go???
I wait until after meet the teacher to buy school supplies because I have been burned more than once. Our school puts out a general list per grade, but each teacher adds to (great ANOTHER trip to the store $4/gal) or takes away (can you say wasted money) from the list. ALWAYS!
So I feel your pain!