to padlock DS' PE bag to his school bag?

[cakedup]

Genuine question.

I've had it up to HERE with lost PE kit. Sometimes it's the odd item but this is the second time he has lost an ENTIRE PE kit worth over £70 including brand new trainers that he wore twice.

After a couple of weeks of it not turning up, I told him that his only option was to FIND IT TODAY. He just rang up to say he's been to all 3 lost property areas and every single classroom he's ever been in.

As a side aibu, the PE tops have the school logo on and cost 17 fucking quid each. AIBU to just to replace them with cheap plain ones from now on and tell the school I am not forking out for anymore.

The only solution I can think of, is to buy a padlock that only I will know the combination number of, and attach it to his school bag, which he never seems to lose. This won't stop one off PE items being lost, granted, but at least he'll come back with something.

I know it's not an ideal solution and he needs to be more responsible etc but I cannot afford to keep paying out for lost kit. Also, he'll probably hate it as it won't look very cool or whatever (I've tried attaching it before in a temporary way but he just unattached it) but that's life, right?

I think you need to label stuff so that it can be seen. I know one friend writes the surname across the collar of the PE shirt

Oh my goodness! You have all my sympathy, as my now 20 year old son lost EVERYTHING when he was at school.
It was the main thing that used to make me upset, as he was a good boy but a complete airhead!

One thing I did do was have the iron on labels printed up with his name and my mobile number, and it worked! (genius I thought!!!).
I got at least 3 calls saying 'I've found x,y or z with this phone number on, so it saved a few quid in the end.
I even got a call from the harbour master once that my daughter left her hat there after a school outing and he dropped it off at my work!

RavingRoo thank goodness he isn't into designer stuff! However, even with the most basic of trainers, a PE kit is worth around £70.

The answer is that he doesn't leave it places, as you've identified. So yes padlock it or make him pay for the replacement (birthday money, Christmas money, or the sweat from his brow eg 2 hours cleaning every Saturday afternoon "paid" at the minimum wage.

Ds1 was a total airhead til we started holding him responsible for lost stuff. Now he's pretty good because it's him that suffers if its lost.

paxillin I have thought about going into school to look for it myself (and embarrass him) but I'm not sure the school allow it and I have to pick my battles - I often email/go into school to discuss DS' SEN so don't want to come across as one of those mums!

thecakefairy I would've thought just normally labelling would be enough...anyone could take a look and locate DS who has an unusual name. But the mobile number thing is quite a good idea....although I'm wondering if I'm advertising myself for prank calls??

My DS once looked everywhere for his PE kit. He looked in the PE changing room, all the classrooms he used and lost property. It was found in a classroom he didn't usually use but had had a cover lesson in there when his teacher was away - he had forgotten about it (not surprisingly). Just an idea.

Can you buy him a bigge school bag so everything is stored together

Exact same thing going on here with DD aged 12. Am fuming. She is losing everything right now. Can I padlock it all to her?

My DS lost TWO coats and 3 Logo'd School jumpers in the first fortnight of this school year. We did EVENTUALLY get the coats back, but sometimes it can take a while for these things to work their way to the lost property boxes.

I would send him in with makeshift gear, i.e. not necessarily standard uniform for a few days, along with a note to his teachers explaining that as he has lost his ENTIRE kit and it will take a little while to replace he will be wearing these clothes for the next week/fortnight.

I would absolutely padlock it. Can’t be bothered to look after your belongings? Then suffer the consequences.

And yes, sharpie names on the outside of pe kid - will make it much less appealing to thieves. Labels can be unpicked.

If there are new trainers involved then its most likely theft. Ill never forget my purple, faux snakeskin nikes. RiP nikes. Someone stole them from my locker when i was in an exam ( plus my hat). Mum said i must have left them somewhere.

We had same here for DS now 13. After 6 months and 4 kits I bought a Nike rucksack with an additional section at the bottom big enough to hold his trainers/boots and kit. We haven't had a whole kit loss since!

Are you sure he’s losing them and they’re not being stolen? Granted it has been 13 years since I was last at school but I don’t understand how you can lose a complete PE kit. I didn’t know of anyone losing a whole kit in one go when I was at school.
Do they have lockers?

Cable tie
Job done

https://m.nike.com/gb/engb/pd/cheyenne-3-solid-backpack/pid-11078210/pgid-12174974?cp=eunsskwpla!uk!goo!pla!m!!!209399908060&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgZTRBRDmARIsAJvVWAv5nVJn5RgyWD4PWT7x8yOY1gOpP0KYD0AdX7p5qw92-on9conowdAaAsLxEALwwwcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2F

I think it's this one. It's big enough for his size 10 trainers so quite a big section at the bottom. The front pocket has helped with loss of pens too as they are easily accessible!

I wouldn't discount other kids taking it, like you say perhaps without his knowledge - are trainers going missing as well?... - actually padlocking a small PE bag to school bag isn't the worst idea! But i'm with you that i would actually say to school you'll just be sending him in a plain t shirt in house colours rather than the logo'd kit from now on

That’s a great bag @afromom
Only thing is it black all over - my DS has to wear black coat too which I think is barmy because you can’t see the kids in the dark on the street.

I would be infuriated too!

Does he get detention if he doesn’t have his kit or has the non branded ones? If so that might help focus his attention.

I think pocket money is a good idea in general if you can possibly afford it. Plus then you can take the cost of replacing lost stuff from him!

Neon pink gym bag? Easier to see!

Why not give him £1 every time he returns home with all the kit (or a suitable amount). That way you are rewarding him keeping hold of it, rather than punishing for losing. If he has some SEN that might be more appealing and less draconian.

OP, yes it is infuriating and DD has a locker and a padlock, she should put it back in there after PE, but they are often rushing to other lessons and don't always have the time.

I did phone the school and ask if they could look in lost property and they said they will email her if it appears, but that other children do 'borrow' PE kit so they don't get a kit fault, I was very surprised at that!

But I suppose if you have left it in the changing room and someone has PE and hasn't got their kit, they could conceivably 'borrow' it.

I just hope it appears again before the end of term, if it doesn't then it will be a whole new kit and trainers and I had just bought new kit in September and new jogging bottoms last week, and she hasn't grown!

New sports uniform at the school? Likey being stolen then. Some absolute thieving bastards out there, both children and parents.

I second the idea of names on the OUTSIDE of the clothing in a very visible location, and not with a sew in label (which can be removed easily), but with apermanent marker or stitched in, worth the one off expense.

It could be inside someone else's PE bag.

DC's school only open lost property twice a week. However, you can buy unlabelled items for 50p a go from it. I have told mine next time they lose something they are replacing it from lost property. It's all logoed stuff - I've taken to both labelling and writing their name on the collar in sharpie.