So, its time for back to school shopping again. I don't have an issue with the fact that my kids need school supplies, but I find that each year, these lists get more and more ridiculous. There are just some items on the list that I'm like, "Are you serious?"
It seems that the list gets longer and longer each time. My daughter is going into first grade, and one of the items listed is 450 white mailing labels. What?!
I'm not poor, but I'm not loaded either...so I usually end up buying what I feel are absolutely necessary basics, such as paper, pencils, folders, etc. My son is going to fourth grade and on his list are several boxes of ziploc bags, a 5star binder, one of those that costs over 10 bucks each.
I wonder how many people out there end up getting every single thing that are on these supply lists.
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Comments (36)
Our school doesn't give lists of stuff that the children need. The school takes care of it all other then bookbag and we even got a note this year that bookbags are optional
NO ONE, for sure.
I'm a freshman in hs, but when I was in first grade all I brought were a pack of notebooks, pencils, markers,yeah.
Now I need $120 calculators, which i dont have a problem with, because im about 2 years behind, and all that fancy stuff. :) this year they didnt even give us an offical list.
I have 3 in school--I get them what they need--I tend to get alot of their lists but as far as tissues, hand sanitizer, and things like that--I get them a personal size supply and replenish as needed--they bring home the empty containers and I give them new ones. I also label EVERYTHING even pencils I send to school--my husband and I do not work hard to send supplies for people that don't bother to get their children the things they need--might be mean to say but we ar enot loaded and we have five kids--technically we are below the poverty line---but I start shopping the sales on July 1st, it is no Shock that your children have to get thigns It is annoying that people know this and wait till the last minute then go onto sites like freecycle with some story about having no money---you could get one or two things here or there and you would be able to do it you know?
No kids for me, but I am in college so I still have to get school supplies each year but I just need the basic stuff. Spiral notebooks, pencils/pens, a pocket divider thing, peechee folders to keep assignments and handouts in, etc. I ride my bike to the bus stop, so I have a small first aid kit in my backpack. I also keep some tissues and hand sanitizer in my bag as well.
For the past couple of years that I've been in college, I purchase enough supplies to get through the fall quarter, and yes I go to places like Walmart and Target for their sales. Then I go back for more supplies as needed later in the school year.
This year, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to need for all year and getting it now while the stuff is on sale. Yes it's expensive, and that's why I'm getting the stuff on sale.
@hippiechristian73102@xanga - exactly it just drives me nuts when people expect hand outs when they did not plan properly
@Gunnermom@xanga - I get what youre saying. I label all of my kids items as well. They ask you to send in 2 boxes of 12 count pencils. Um no. lol I will send them pencils as they need them. Im not providing pencils for the whole class. Im also not buying a 5 dollar pack of dry erase markers, thats for the teachers, not my kids.
When my kids are old enough to be in school, I will be buying everything on their lists. I was a teacher before I became a stay at home mom. I know what it's like to not have enough supplies for your classroom. I know the school is supposed to provide it, but when districts are cutting more and more from the budget, what are you going to do? And it's fine if you disagree with me, but I've been there and I know what it's like. I don't think it's fair for the teacher to be spending nearly $1000 of his or her already meager paycheck to cover supplies that the school should have provided and the parents refused to. If you have a concern about a specific item on the supply list, I would contact the teacher about it and find out WHY it's necessary. More often than not, he or she will be able to give you a reasonable answer.
For those that HAVE extra, by all means...buy every item on the list. However, not everyone does. I never said I expected the teachers to buy the extra items. Im just saying that I cant always afford to buy everything on the list, which seems to get longer each year.
@Morningstarrising@xanga - my problem is more with the amount of things like 4 boxes of crayons at a time and 2 boxes of markers and colored pencils--Last year I asked the teachers straight out why...they told me the like to have back up supplies for each child in case hey run out (I understand this but my children bring empty things home and we do a end of the week check--who needs more pencils, lost erasers, ect... I was also told that the extra amount of supplies was because some children bring NOTHING and the teacher can't pay for that--but my question is Why should I pay for those kids? I just get really annoyed that I look for sales and things here and there all summer long because I know they are going back to school only to provide for children other than my own---so I don't, however at each teacher conference I do replenish each of their supplies with new ones (I buy enough when everything is super cheap to re-fill each childs 3 times) and ask the teachers if there is anything they are in need of, we have donated boxes of legos, food coloring--to the pre-school class last year and random things like clay or whatever for projects they are doing---I have no problem helping with some thigns I just do not want to be made to bring other families school supplies, maybe that is selfish but i know there are people that can afford it and just choose not to, my cousin does this she says--the school won't let her go without so why shoudl I waste my money?! that is what makes me angry!
@LiberalArmyWife@xanga - don't agree people need to take responsibility for their own children as well as be accountable for what they are or arenot doing----
A few years ago, I used to get $1,000 to spend at the end of the year. With budget cuts, now it is only $100. Since it became so little, two years ago, I spent it on air freshner (for stinky high school students in the Spring,lol), kleenex, map pencils, baking soda, lotion, and loose leaf paper. Each year I change the list for the kids, and focus on a few items--like expo markers, kleenex, spirals, scissors. I usually have the same students for more than 4 years, because I teach special education---severe and profound. This year, the list will be a box of kleenex and clorox wipes--that is all...
With my children, I buy what is on the list, and more. Being a teacher, and knowing how budget cuts are affecting the teachers, I am willing to help out as much as possible. Teachers have no control of the budget.
Top items you could help with:
kleenex, clorox wipes, expo markers, pencils--or better yet, ask the teacher if there is an item that could serve them better.
My sisters in law have a crazy supply list for 1st grade, they each need 20 glue sticks. Among other things. I understand that some are supplies for the class room but it also says on there to send them with everything on the first day, unlabeled, because it says on there they will label everything and store it. I think it would be easier if they let the parents label it, and if they made notes of what would be needed for the first day, so you could just buy a little or send a little with your kids the first day. These kids if they bring everything will have an overloaded book bag just on the first day and with some of the smaller book bags they might even have to carry a shopping bag with them just to get it there. Also their bags can't have wheels so they have to carry all this on their backs.
I'm more than fine with the things needed for the classroom, tissues, and wipes and such. It's just make it know that's what some of this is for, and if some of the 20 glue sticks are supposed to go to other kids make that known too. I wouldn't want to send everything on that giant list get half way through the year and be told that the 20 glue sticks, 3 large packs of paper and 4 boxes of pencils weren't enough for my one child.
The district I teach in has stupid thing on the list like Expo markers for kindergarden kids. And they do the communal supplies so when I go and find the perfect pair of green scissors for my green obssesed kid, I have no promise that he'll even get to use them! In fact last year, I got back a pair of green scissors - marked with someone else's name. We have a poor district and I know that people may not have money for supplies (and yet the district asks for a $5 box of expo markers, can't figure that one out). But you know what else? Every year, the family and support services department gives out free supplies to every child who shows up at the fair - even my child who doesn't qualify for free/reduced lunch.
I know not every district does the free supplies thing. But as a teacher I also know that I am not expected to buy paper clips, printer paper, expo markers, staples, etc from my class budget. I can but those things are available in the front office. Sure, I might have to wait a little bit until an order comes in but I've never gone without. Paper gets limited some but we also have a copy center where teachers can send off for an unlimited amount of copies at no cost to the teacher or the teacher's class budget. The teachers at my school go so far as to copy a piece of notebook paper to provide for those kids who show up without supplies. Pencils I provide to my kids for 25 cents each or they can use the ratty ones I find left on my classroom floor for free. I also have a borrowing system where they give me something of theirs (usually a shoe or house key) to borrow a pencil for the class period. When I get my pencil back, they get their item back. Works really well and means that I don't have to buy tons of supplies for loaning.
I guess some districts are different but it's hard for me to feel that it's OK for me to be buying supplies for other people's kids when I wasn't asked about it. That whole mentality has made it so that I don't even take my child shopping for his supplies because I can't risk him getting all excited over the perfect box of crayons when I know they will be taken from him. Sorry, but my thought is that if you ask for donations, I will probably give what I can but when you start asking for supplies that are supposedly for my child and give them away to someone else, you've just stolen from me. I won't stand for it. In a district like mine, where free supplies are readily available and fairly easy to get without calling attention to yourself, I feel like parents who don't take advantage are just taking the risk that their child will be embarassed when they can't participate. Yep, it's mean but I've gotten so tired of the attitude given to me by my middle school kids that I OWE them school supplies. WE created this issue by always providing for the kids even when their parents refused. Now they think they are entitled and get really nasty about it when you refuse to provide.
But do know that I have yet to see a district who buys tissues for their teachers. And most won't buy cleaning wipes. And in a middle school classroom, you can easily go through one large box of tissues per day because the kids will take 5 at a time. And hand sanitizer must be teacher controlled or they use it to "wash" their hands (as in get enough to clean off marker from where they drew on each other). Personally, I buy one thing of cleaning wipes myself and then I snatch a roll of paper towels from the teacher's restroom to use as tissue paper. Hurts the nose but even the kids agree that it's better than nothing! I'm usually lucky enough that the school will provide one big bottle of sanitizer that I can make last most of a semester and if not, I just have a personal one for me and the kids just have to deal with it.
avoid using 5star, even if it is better, it hella expensive. try the dollar store. and as for pencils/ pens/ erasers try reusing them from last yr. and unless the school says its mandatory, dont try to get everything on the list. most is unnecessary.
The school sends a list of suggested items home, and my brother's teachers send their own list of things they need. The supplies vary by subject. He needs regular college ruled paper, but he also needs graphing paper for math, a good dictionary for English, red correcting pens, etc.
I often donate boxes of tissue to my brother's school. With budget cuts, it's the very least I could do.
We try to reuse metal ring binders around here, but I buy everything else as needed. By looking at the list, I can judge which I really need and which would be a waste of money.
@Gunnermom@xanga - thats such a good point, why work hard to supply your child with what he/she needs, only to end up giving supplies to the kid whose parent did not do the same. Thats not fair to you or your child.
@Gunnermom@xanga - I can understand that too, and maybe I have too generous of a heart, but I don't see how another student in your child's class should have to suffer because their parents are poor. You know what I mean? I get that parents can be lazy and live off the system, etc., etc., and maybe their parents won't provide for them in the way they should, but I'm always the person who buys the extra box of kleenex or extra box of pencils or whatever so that some kid doesn't have to go without. I can understand your frustration with having to deal with that, but if the teacher DOESN'T ask for extras, there will be some kids that go without. Here I'm just talking about basics like kleenex and pencils and crayons, not things like copy paper and labels. And in my classroom when I was a teacher, there would be extras at the end of the year, and those would get sent home with my students. There were also some supplies that weren't community supplies, and if a kid didn't bring in stuff for his/her supply list, then I had to be the one to pay for it. It's sad, but it's true. I kind of have the same ideas for all kids in situations like that - should we punish the kids for the parents' bad choices? In my opinion, no. It's not the kid's fault. I know how as a parent, it can be annoying and you can be angered at the parent for not providing for their kids, but for me, I just would buy some extras to cover it. But that's just me, and I know that a lot of parents aren't like me.
@LiberalArmyWife@xanga - Thank you. Glad to see someone who agrees with me. And yes, before I had kids, I was STILL paying into the school system (well, and then some, as a schoolteacher..lol).
We did...but I shopped sales between a handful of stores...and I didn't take the kids with us so there were no request for anything "brand name" or character. They got what they need, period. (I'm not spending 5x the cost for a Sponge Bob folder that's going to be torn and ragged in a month anyway.)
The supply lists are ridiculous- I complain every year- I have 3 in elementary school so we spend A LOT to get everything they need. Despite my complaining, I even throw in some of the "wish list" items. It sux that the lists are so long, but its part of life, so we just deal with it. :)
@Morningstarrising@xanga - I see your point...what I think shoudl happen is there should be a list with prices, we have to pay a resources fee each year and I think if you are not willign to do the shopping or you choose not to then you should to compensate the teacher--or whoever does the buying somethign to make parents accountable for their children and I know some people are poor---we are some of them!!!! But honeslty I got all three of my kids everythign they needed and school shoes, clothes and everythign for under 200 bucks! I know that migth be alot but I think the most I spent at one time was 20 and that is alot they didn't really need but I thought they deserved to have, so instead of gettign new shoes for me I got the kids shoes...you kow?
@Gunnermom@xanga - Yep, I understand that too. Or maybe being able to contribute extra to your child's classroom. That's a good way to do it as well. I wasn't trying to knock the poor, either.... I am just saying that some people have dug themselves into crappy situations, and I feel bad that kids have to suffer for their parents' bad choices.
what the hell???? our lists just said things like "pencil case" "pencils" "non-felt-tip pens". stuff that you actually need, that the parent may have forgotten about. not specific brands or completely ridiculous non-essentials.
i liked high school where you could pick everything yourself. hahaha
I definitely don't see the need to tell
everykid in class to buy dry erase markers. I mean, how many do they need. They should just have two lists - one for the things your kid needs to do his work, and another that the classroom needs in order to teach your kid properly, so if you have a little extra money, you can buy one of those things. If they were more up front about why they need it, and what it's for, I think parents would be more willing to help.