AIBU To Ask...

[OverCapacity]

How you choose DC school supplies. Do you let them pick or do you?

DS always wants a bag of whatever he’s into at the time but usually come mid-year he decides he wants a different one to suit his new likes / whatever’s trending and whines about hating the bag, it’s now “embarrassing” etc.

So this year I wanted to get a plain red colour bag (his favourite colour). But each one I’ve shown him he doesn’t like and he’s adamant he wants this certain themed bag!

Same with his PE bag, swimming bag... I think next year I’m just going to buy it all without asking his input to save the stress... Does anyone do this?

But him the bag he wants. If he wants a new bag he can buy it out of his pocket money.

I bought the bag they want. My DD has already seen one she prefers but she has taken the tags off so I've told her it's too late. The only way she will get a new one in the year is if she pays with her own money or asks for one for her birthday/christmas.

We compromise. There's a seller on Amazon that does backpacks in a range of colours, and prints any slogan you want on them (up to however many letters).
They get to choose the colour and slogan ( subject to my approval of the wording, it has to be utterly inoffensive obviously) and I pay.
ATM DD has "everyone loves a good jazz square" and no4 son has "I'm not lazy, I'm just highly motivated at doing nothing"

Today I made the mistake of letting DS3 choose his own bag and pencil case.

£75.00 later we left Superdry.

Had no idea a school bag could be £55.00 but more surprised at £20.00 for a pencil case!

Will be doing online research before going school bag shopping again.

How old is he? I normally let DD (9) pick a bag at the start of the school year but if she wants a new one another time she has to save up or buy it out of birthday or Christmas money.

My DCs have to have the schools own school issue bag complete with schoo logo! They r at that school til year 7, so I don't need to worry about it til then!!

He’s 7 but very sure of what he likes etc, he goes through very brief phases of liking certain things so can change his mind frequently!

@AimlesslyPurposeful !

AimlesslyPurposeful At that price the bag needs to last until uni!

Was thinking the same thing Neshoma!

Not U to buy the bag I guess?

But definitely U to have such a vague non title for your post!

They can choose up to a price range, but have a warning that I expect the bag to last x time I.e. it doesnt't otherwise just playing get replaced until worn out.
For a 7 year old that would mean the bag needs to see him through junior school.

We refused to buy bags connected to characters etc. Pencil case or lunchbox yes.

That minimised the problem of “my bag is embarrassing”. New bags could go in the Christmas wish list or she needed to save her pocket ones to contribute at least 1/2 the price.

Am I missing something - children get new bags every year?!! Pencil cases yes, but bags - mine have had the same ones for the past 3-5 years I think!

I’m with CoralFish. Since when is a new bag an every year event? I’ve always thought of school supplies as pretty folders, pens, pencils and paper. Nothing more. Well, maybe a lunch box in primary school.

Same here Coral. Dd got a new bag when she started juniors (Y3) and is still using it this year as she's about to start Y6. I've offered to get her a new one occasionally, but she says she's quite happy with this one. I'm not complaining, I hope she keeps this up for the next 7 years!

I just imported a bloody WWE wrestling backpack from China. Ds' fads are a pain in my arse.