Carrying school bags

[Rebecca1971]

We walk our 8-year old son to school. About 15-20 minutes walk each way depending on mood ...
I always carry his backpack for him which is quite heavy with all the books he carries back and forth, and think my husband should do the same on days when he walks him to school. He refuses.
My point is that it can't be good for a developing spine/shoulders to carry a heavy bag twice every day.
Does anyone agree with me?
Any orthopaedic surgeons on here who can offer a professional view on this issue?

Put backpack on both shoulders jobs done.

What is in it to make it so heavy anyway?

Aargh I hate this. I have twins and carrying their bags is doing my back in!

An 8 year old needs all those books every day? At secondary school I could see that but at 8, really?

Why does he have such a heavy bag? Mine used to have a reading book and a water bottle... Even with packed lunch it's hardly heavyweight?

Books for an eight year old can't be that heavy? a reading book and a few homework jotters surely?

Think you're overreacting. I teach this age and there's no way they'd have loads of heavy items daily. Not even rarely to be honest.

Depends where OP is. Mine often have heavy books as does ds12.

Possibly private school? I know a had a fair bit of stuff to carry at that age.

But I do think an 8yo is perfectly capable - get a strong, comfortable rucksack and make sure he wears it properly fitted on both shoulders.

Do you live in France?
Otherwise surely no oe (state school) child's bag is that heavy? My school have had a rucksack since they were toddlers and always carry their stuff. It helps that we're all on bikes so no free hands.

Hi Rebecca, I do this for an 8 yo I look after. It started when she was in Primary 1 and as they had to have the school's own bags with logos on which were faaar to big for her. But now I suspect it is just habit. As of the Autumn I am refusing to do this. I would suggest that you sit down with DS on Sunday night and go through his bag and remove everything but the bare essentials it will be so much lighter (I discovered I was carting actual rocks about!). Also try to take just the books needed for that day and maybe work out a list that can go on the fridge so that in the evening when he packs his own bag he is sure what is and isn't needed (of course you'll have to double check). If after this it is still really heavy (by his judgement not yours as it is surprising how much they can carry comfortably) you could carry gym kit/music books/big library books/packed lunch and he can have the main bag. I would be introducing the idea now with the statement that come September he will be carrying his own bag. :) hope that helps

A 15 minute walk with backpack on both shoulders properly fitted? I wouldn't worry.

I'm going to sound like my mother now but there are children in the majority world working down mines.

On a daily basis he has in his bag:
Pupil planner (Think A5 Moleskin diary type)
2-3 folders with homework sheets (accumulates as the year goes on)
Daily book to read
Reading record (another A5 booklet)
Another book (normally a fat novel) for Eric time
Once a week in addition a library book (normally some kind of encyclopaedia or factual book)
Water bottle and snack for after school care
Pencil case
PE/ Swimming kit is in separate bag on days when that takes place

A planner? What does he need to plan- he's 8?

Pupil planner is obligatory. Used for messages travelling between home and school.

Is library day your day or DH's?

I carry my 6 yr old's book bag. School issue. Classroom/ peg space too restricted for alternative styles. Too long on him. Slides off his narrow shoulders. Gets in the way of his legs.

That is a lot more than standard for an 8 year old.

Why does he need every single homework sheet in the folder?
Could this be divided into 2 folders and just carry a week's worth at a time.
The Australian college of physiotherapists have done some work on this and yes, it does damage children's spines.

When you say the homework sheets accumulate, do you mean that all the homework sheets he has done stay in his bag? That seems odd.

Surely he just needs the ones he is bringing home / returning for marking? And possibly marked ones to show you? Is there not a way he can leave 'old' ones either at school or home? They must add up to a lot of weight by the end of the year!

When we have a couple of DCs' friends for playdates, they commonly try to hand their bags to me, wordlessly, just assuming I will carry them all. I am not a packhorse. I think if you are happy for your child to be a guest in someone's home, you should train them to carry one bag without grumbling. I'm happy to help with instruments, PE bags etc. but I can't do 4 main bags too.

Even in YR I expected them to take one bag each, and I think that is more than a reasonable expectation for an 8 year old.

Ds has a 20 minutes walk and he (8) and 5yo dd carry all their stuff - he has lunchbox with packed lunch including drink and never remembers to return reading books so it gets heavy, but it doesn't stop him at all. I might help when he has both PE bag with trainers and swimming bag as well, but otherwise they can do it themselves - I'm not a slave or a packhorse.

Thanks endoftheline, will see if I can find that study
To be clear it's not my son who asks that we carry his bag, it's me. He's got a good ergonomic bag which he likes and will happily carry it (play dates /going home with other families)

Why does he need to carry his homework folder everyday?

I think an 8 year old (without special physical needs) should be able to carry a few books and a snack in a backpack. I don't think it is unreasonable for you to carry it, but unless he says himself that it is too heavy for him, you should probably let your DH make his own decision.

If he's happy to carry it and your DH is happy to let him... why all the angst? Do you routinely micro-manage your DH's interactions with your son? Are you the in-charge parent?

Perhaps you should check the bag.
I know with my younger Dec it's the 2 pencil cases with 99 markers in each of them 🙄 and the books that are supposed to be kept in school and the hardback story book they are reading that make the bag heavy.