I may be the only mom in the WORLD who feels this way {though I know I can’t possibly be}, but I loathe the person who invented the notion of pre-packaged school supplies for kids. Seriously. Could you get any more lame than taking the fun out of back-to-school shopping for not only the kids, but the parents, too?
It’s no secret that I am HUUUUGE on back-to-school traditions, especially back-to-school shopping for supplies. So, you can imagine my outrage when I learned earlier this year that my kids’ school had decided WITHOUT my vote, mind you, to mandate pre-packaged school supplies for ALL students this fall. Shopping for school supplies has been a family tradition since I was just a little girl. I have fond, fond memories of picking out a fresh box of crayons and a nice, sleek school box each year with my mom. We’d hit up the stores and get everything from glue, pencils, sharpeners, rulers, and the like. Of course, this was before couponing was as big as it is now, so my mom didn’t do much bargain hunting. We usually just hit up the our local stores like H-E-B and the old Winn’s stores to get the good deals on supplies.
When my boys became school-aged back-to-school shopping quickly became one of our fun traditions too. The hubs and I took our oldest shopping for supplies when he started Kindergarten and it is still something we talk about to this day as a family.
Let me make myself perfectly clear: I am NOT against pre-packaged school supplies. I am simply against mandating them to all parents, like myself. Even if this is being done to save $10, $15 or even $20, I personally don’t care. I’d rather pay the extra money and still get to experience that tradition with my kids. Although, for the record, I usually have found some amazing deals and coupons and am one that carefully seeks out the best prices on glue sticks so I think even I could come under budget of the pre-packaged rate. I realize I’m probably in the minority in thinking this way. And that’s ok. I’ve never been one to fall in line with what everyone else is doing anyway, so that’s par for the course.
So this back-to-school season my kids and I will be somewhat saddened. Not only because summer is coming to an end but because we won’t be able to continue with our fun back-to-school shopping traditions that we usually do. I love my kids school, staff, and administration and have nothing but the best things to say about them. I am just very disappointed that the decision has been made to not give parents like me an option to buy school supplies in the traditional ways. Plus, I’ve never been a fan for mandating many things in this world. I’m left feeling just a bit robbed of my role as a mother and of ways that my kids and I celebrate certain traditions.
How about you? Does your kids’ school mandate pre-packaged school supplies? Is shopping for back-to-school supplies a fun tradition that both you and your kids look forward to? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.
I actually have a different opinion on this . I like the pre packaged school supplies IF its affordable for everyone . If the kids who cant afford the school supplies now can because some deal has been worked out somewhere then I saw go for it ! School supply shopping was never a tradition for us, I always just do it . Its frankly a pain , hunting for the items you cant find , going to a ton of stores. I like this idea better . Everyone gets the same thing, at a better ,lower, price and everyone can afford them . that’s my take on it .
I have so many better things to do south many kids than shop. I have always bought the package before and was thrilled that the cost came down and I won’t end up with 2 more pairs of scissors in my house come May.
There are plenty of school supply drives for the less fortunate if you must shop. IMHO.
Our school has optional pre-packaged supplies and I do buy them, but only because I’m phobic about not being able to find what the teachers have on their list. (It’s so stinkin’ specific these days!!!) However, I absolutely love buying supplies, so we still buy a ton and keep them at the house! The kids use them for homework or projects … or when the pre-packaged ones run out mid-year 🙂
I love shopping for school supplies!!! I get giddy when I see that Target has them out. I always buy tons of glue sticks, markers, crayons, etc. so we have plenty on hand throughout the year. I don’t really understand why my 1st grader will need 15 glue sticks this year, but so be it! I would hate to have to buy prepackaged supplies!