AIBU or is DP about school bags?

[expatinspain]

DP doesn't think we should buy DD a new school bag just because it's a new school year, he thinks it's a waste of money as the old one isn't broken. I disagree. Her old bag isn't broken as such, zip still works etc, but it's definitely a bit shabby. It's a black emoji rucksack and the colour looks faded and she's not the tidiest of kids, so the inside is far from new. I think unless the bag is still in really good condition, a new school year should mean a new bag. My family were pretty poor and we didn't really have school bags, but i always got a new lunchbox and a new pencil case every school year. I used to look forward to it as a kid! AIBU or is he?

this thread is depressing ....But like you say one step at a time. Posters are talking about reusing ... not just chucking in landfill. I appreciate you don't think that's a solution but it's definitely well intentioned and has at least some merit. Yet is being shot down.

I bought a red oxx bags in america and they are bullet proof. They are still perfect after 6 years and I'm hoping they will last until they are finished school completely.

I think having 40 handbags is unusual and a waste of resources.

Children grow but they don’t only grow in the summer holidays, so we buy uniform as and when it is needed. I can understand buying new in September if you eeked out the worn out/slightly small uniform in the last few weeks of the summer term (we have done that with DS’s pe kit, but that is mainly 3 years old, definitely bought it with room to grow!) but not if it actually doesn’t need replacing.

If giving things to charity is wrong than I'm quite happy to be further educated. I thought I was doing right. It's not just poor people that buy from charity. Lots of people like a bargain and give money to charity at the same time. I would buy from charity.

I tend to ask mine to wait until it’s broken before getting a new one but if it was in good ish condition I would give it to charity

no one has said they are throwing away old bags

but only a handful have said they are reusing the bags.

2 kids, 7 years in primary, by the age of 11 there's 14 backpacks with a single year's use knocking around the house.

Realistically, a lot of these bags are being chucked. And a generation of kids are being brought up to value materialism and appearance over anything else.

Part of the problem, not the solution. No wonder having children is considered to be the most unenvironmental thing you can do.

I don’t know primary round here they use logo’d book bags anyway. My 4 year old has at least 6 rucksacks- gifts mainly, 2/3 bought by ourselves.

I do love handbags but I’ve also been buying them / been bought them for 25 years so I don’t think it’s that strange. Maybe if you’re the type who carries all your stuff around in an old Tesco bag it seems so

I have approx 40 handbags. That’s not even unusual. Why couldn’t a child have a few rucksacks? They’re only bags

40 handbags . That IS VERY unusual.

Why can't a child have a few rucksacks? Because they don't need them.

They're only bags or shoes, or clothes, or phones, or, or, or......

Shocking waste of money ... and unless the bags you are giving away are in very good condition (& then why give them away?) please don't give them to a charity shop. I run a charity shop and we get inundated with shabby school uniform, broken ruck sacks, half used crayons and pencils etc etc. No one wants this stuff and it is patronising to think that some 'poor person' will want it ... I end up taking it all to landfill.

Blue re; your comment about asking in a charity shop if they would accept an old bag, believe me it is very hard to say 'no thanks' when people bring a bag of donations (rubbish) in, people get incredibly offended that we really can't sell their dirty old stuff and most charity shops will accept everything and then tip it (or try to recycle it) later.

And of course you do occasionally find the odd gem in a bag of rubbish ... we were given a load of old A4 files, scribbled on paper, A level revision books from the 80s etc recently but found an original print by a local artist mixed up in it all . Another shop local to me found a book worth £2K !

Reckon things have changed, but these were the type of book bags we had in secondary. Usually a brand new one at the start of year 1, but most were happier with a hand-me-down as it looking well-used was a bonus. Mind, they were leather, so would last forever.

oldschoolbags.nl/boekentas/

Guess we have quite a few back packs, but they're in constant use - all of them. One's for shopping (and has a carrier/tote stored inside it) one is for my music stuff, and one for occasional. And then one that's so clumsy to use, not a zipper, but a drawstring top opening, so gets hardly any use at all.

I've got a fair few handbags (5 regular, 2 A4) but all but one are Kipling, so they get chucked in the wash every so often. Last forever, they do, I will not need to buy any in the foreseeable future (as in next 30 years or so) I reckon, as they're different sizes for different uses.

Mine have new ones and the old ones are used outside of school till they are not usable.

Does your dh come from a well off family? Ime those with little money spend on new like this and those with loads don't as the reputation isn't a concern for them!

Ragwort I totally get you. I can imagine what rubbish is given. The bag in question is not dirty or usable to there is the argument of why I've replaced it.

I did contradict myself as I do fill the charity bags that come through the door usually. I wouldn't put any old rubbish in there like my boots with holes in. I've given some of my son's lovely clothes away because he grows so fast. I've learnt to by less now though.

It is usable.

Buy - I need to proof read and not write so fast.

School bags are the 1 item you can get a few years out of. I used to buy brand new every year but really its a waste. Ds2 got a Superdry one for starting secondary school, hes using it for work now 🤣 £40 well spent.

Dd starts secondary this month and I've got her a Superdry one too as they last well.

Does your dh come from a well off family? No, exactly the same as me really. Poor as a young child, but more family money as an older child/teenager. He just takes really good care of his stuff and is very neat and tidy. He has things for years and years which are still almost as good as new. He was like this as a child as well. DD is kind of the opposite, so they are like chalk and cheese.

I don't automatically buy new school bags every year. I tend to replace if they get damaged or broken or they find the bag embarrassing (such as when they are no longer get into unicorns). Lunch bags I replace when they look tatty. Shoes I replace when they need them. My daughter had some Doc Martens that lasted a full year from November. They were great and saved me money as other brands disintegrated. Clarks girls shoes are the worst. School uniform I replace as and when they need it. It's usually the polo tops and jumpers that they need new at the beginning of term as they get in a state.

OP - then surely your DD needs to learn to look after her possessions so they aren't on their last knees after one school year.

The planet can't take people who treat their possessions badly and thus need to replace them more frequently. It's not even about money.

I'm surprised at her age she isn't aware of this. DD's class have been doing loads about recycling and waste.

My son has has the same backpack for tne last 4 years. The only reason I. Buying him a new one is because he needs a bigger one to start high school. It should last him his time in high school. Every year is ridiculous.

Dd got a Jansport one for Christmas a few years back and it's going strong, for high school. I throw them through the washing machine each summer. Her lunch box goes though the macine often and has lasted since she was 5, she's now 14. I got a good quality one that wouldn't date or look too young as she gets older.
My Boys also had Jansport ones and they lasted all the way through high school and Uni and both still use them often.
Buying new annually for no reason is so wastful, you may be donating to charity, but it's still part of the throw away culture.
My own school bag was sewn up a few times though high school, and made it to college with me.

A few posters have mentioned lunch bags. Can you put those insulated plastic type lunch bags through the washing machine?!
Or am I misunderstanding?

I put our insulated lunch bags in the washing machine, they seem to wash well @aspoonfulweighsaton