School Supplies

I love this time of year when school supplies go on sale. I love that you can get spiral notebooks for 10 cents each. I love that a pack of new pencils costs 45 cents. Love love love this time of the year. I could go nuts and buy all sorts of cool little gadgets and supplies, but in the end most of them would not be used.

That brings me to this point remember when you were a kid and you would get your school supply list like two days before school starts….usually the same night as you went to meet your teacher and see who was in your class? Well, nowadays the lists get mailed out to the parents.

I remember when I would get the list and look at the things I would need which would usually include:

• Crayons (Maybe Markers)
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Notebook Paper
• Pens (but only 5th grade & up)
• Scissors
• Glue (Preferably Paste)
• Notebook
• Backpack

The only supplies that my parents helped provide the classroom was Kleenex and maybe paper towels. Nowadays, I guess as parents we are expected to fill the teachers supply cabinets. This was my youngest daughter’s lists for this year….exactly as it arrived from the school:

• Backpack (only large enough to carry homework)
• 2 pkgs Black Dry erase markers
• 3 boxes of Kleenex
• 10 Spiral Bound notebooks
• 2 large boxes of pencils (sharpened)
• 2 packs of pink erasers
• 2+ bottles of hand sanitizer
• 3 pkgs of glue sticks
• Ziploc bags in various sizes
• 2 reams of copy paper
• 2 reams of multi-colored copy paper
• Paper Towels/Napkins
• 2 pairs of blunt nose scissors
• 5 pkgs Wide Ruled Paper

Now I don’t have a problem buying this stuff. I mean I understand that kids need these things to be successful in school. What I DO have a problem with is buying these supplies for the CLASSROOM as a whole. I mean I am not just buying for my child with a list like that I am buying for my child and probably at least one or two others whose parents can’t or more likely WON’T buy their kids supplies.

I also understand that teachers do supply a lot from their own pocket. Both of my parents are teachers and I know that there were many times when we would hit up the dollar store for paper, crayons, markers etc…..because the kids in the class rooms didn’t have these supplies. I have no problem helping out, but what I would like to see is a list for what a single (MY) child needs and then a note saying anything extra you can provide would be appreciated. I know the reason some parents don’t buy for their children is that they get lists like what I got and figure I can’t afford that or I’m not supplying the whole school.

I don’t want to say that my kids go to a “rich” school, but the families whose children do go are middle to upper middle class families. Many of the kids WANT for NOTHING, so a few school supplies shouldn’t be that big of deal. However, every year when we make the rounds to the first parent/teacher conference I always ask “Is there anything you need for your class?” And I always get some form of response of “Well, I asked all the kids to bring X item (usually tissue, paper towels, and baggies) and only a few of them brought any in. So if you don’t mind could you please send something like that in?” The teachers are always so humble and nice about it…and I really don’t mind running out to Wal-Mart and getting what they need. But if EVERYONE would contribute, then people like me wouldn’t have to buy supplies for all the other kids.

So this year I did something different. I got a medium sized plastic container and over bought pens, pencils, markers, crayons, glue, paper, folders and notebooks. I am going to keep them on hand so that when the teachers ask for X, Y, Z I will be able to go to my stash and send it.
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but for some reason when I was out buying supplies yesterday this bugged me!