to not carry DC's and their mate's bookbags?

[VikingBlonde]

Had a few kids coming home with us for playdates recently and I flatly refuse to carry anyone's bag. It's caused some upset from them and one of their mums commented on my 'tough love' attitude...

My kids love an effing huge Smiggle backpack filled with god knows what toot but I make them cart it back and forth. They want it, they carry it is my rule. The kids that come keep just HANDING me their bags as they exit the school and one huffed all the way home whining that it's SOOOO FAR and MY BAG IS SOOOO HEAVY and YOUR MAMA IS MEAN (that one demanded the WiFi code as soon as she got in)

It's a 10 minute walk max. With a backpack or a book bag. my DC's/their mates are 7 &9 I'm not a bloody mule... AIBU? What does everyone else do?

My DC (ranging from 20 down to 9) are very kind and thoughtful despite enduring the hardship of carrying their own bags. Like I said their bags were not heavy unless they chose to bring something heavy or not clean them out.

Play dates.... the stuff of fucking nightmares. Thank God it’s over for me. He’s 17.

I’ve nothing to add.

I often carry my DS2's bag. It's an act of love.

auntie Jackie is he going to uni or college? newsflash! you may get a hoard of hungry vultures descend on you yet!

What's a bookbag? Google just shows me backpacks/rucksacks. Is a bookbag like a drawstring bag that closes at the top, using the drawstrings as straps?

I don't carry my 6yo's rucksack as A) it is very small, B) it only contains school diary, bottle of water and small tupper of snacks for break time, C) it's his.

He is currently at summer school and i carried his bag home as it had wet swimming gear in, that was heavy and it is 32°c even thoughit was a short shady 10-minute walk to the bus.

When it is PE day (Tues+Thurs) they wear PE kit to school and take a change of tshirt; manky PE tshirt comes home. When he gets homework (Tuesdays), it is in an A4 plastic folder that i have a light-weight tote bag for, and i'll carry it.

I have been reading this thread imaging a mum being given bag after bag and that one last PE kit makes you buck it off, all over the pavement while shouting 'hee-haw hee-haw'.

I need to get in the paddling pool!

Bookbag - those flat rectangular things that only fit an A4 collage in with gentle persuasion and wriggling, held shut by velcro that doesn't bloody stick! They launch impressively if flung though and then shed all their contents everywhere.

What's a bookbag?
that kind of thing, which comes on top of the rucksack and the PE bag with string, and possibly the lunch box - at least in my kids school

@viques because i genuinely dont mind. I usually have no bags myself on the school run and they want to chat/play with their friends on the way home so I dont mind taking them. However they also carry my bags if we go to the shop etc. So it works both ways and I wouldnt see it as babying them. Both are extremely mature. We just help each other out. If I had lots of my own bags I wouldnt be doing (and they would offer to take some of mine).

If they were ever rude about it or expected me to carry them I wouldnt be doing. They do wait to be asked.

Jeez, my 18 month old REFUSES to let me carry his little wheelie bag to and from nursery. Physically prises my fingers off the handle so he can pull it himself!

Thanks OiWho and HDP so they're a kindy of shitty briefcase for kids, that don't fasten very well.