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?

aspoonfulweighsaton, Dd's lunch bag has a silver inside and fabric outside. It's very much like this one, only stripes, pink and navy. Here

We only buy new if they're broken. I hate needless waste.

My 8 year old has had the same since p1 starting school it’s still fine and he loves it
And the 9 year old got a new one last year that’ll last for a few years I’m sure.

Same for shoes they still fit except for 8 yr old who needs a new pair equally they don’t need new winter jackets this year either
I’m not buying for the sake if it!!!

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. This is a separate ongoing issue. She frequently loses things, leggings and tights have holes after a few wears, shoes are scuffed very quickly. Now there are certain things she has to replace herself (stationery for example) and shoes etc have to be worn until she grows out of them. It's not like we're not trying to resolve the issue or there aren't consequences for not looking after things.

I'm surprised at her age she isn't aware of this. DD's class have been doing loads about recycling and waste. She is aware, but she's 9, she's comes home after having learnt things so into them and then gets into something else and the topic isn't as important any more. It's something children become more concerned about when they're a little older. I don't think she's vastly different to most other 9 year olds in that point.

well - OK. My DD is 9 and is all over this kind of thing, they seem to have done a lot about it this year and it's sunk in. It's not a topic, like Vikings or volcanoes, it's absolutely essential life skill stuff.

I'm using my daughter's old backpack from years ago. I think she had it when she was 12/13? and she's 31 now! It's been all over the world with me, I take it to the shops sometimes, it's my go to bag for holidays jand days out. I chuck it in the washing machine every now and then and it's fine.

I think she is the perfect age to learn about the importance of making things last and looking after them.

It sounds like you go through a lot of things anyway so all the more reason to make the bag last!

Definitely does not need new until the old is dead. We need to start thinking about sustainability not having new just because we can

Mine got new ones toward the end of last term so won’t be getting new ones - their old ones were getting tatty anyway and DD1 wanted to save her pocket money to get a fucking Smiggle one... DD2 I got sick of water bottle leaks in so bought one where the bottle can go on the outside of the bag.

We have a distinct bag life cycle in this house though - they go from school bag to dancing kit bag to swimming kit bag and the oldest one gets binned - by the time they’ve been through all those jobs they’re usually pretty well knackered.

All new uniform though - by the end of the year it’s usually pretty wrecked and outgrown - the decent items have been passed on via free cycle (the pinafores etc were still useable just outgrown by the kids), the stuff school can use to restock their “accident clothing” will be passed to them and then the rest will go to the textile recycling bin. My kids aren’t easy on their uniforms and the colour is one that fades and looks shite pretty badly.

I think sometimes with bags in particular you hit a style wall though as they grow up and get older - I know there’s no way I’d be forcing mine to use their old Paw Patrol ones any longer as they and their peer group have just completely grown past that point now and it would be marking them out as a target for bullying. In those cases where stuff is still perfectly decent - charity shop it is.

We have a distinct bag life cycle in this house though - they go from school bag to dancing kit bag to swimming kit bag and the oldest one gets binned - by the time they’ve been through all those jobs they’re usually pretty well knackered. This is where I don't really see the issue with her having a new school bag, as she literally has one large rucksack which she uses for school and overnights. She'll still be using it for overnights etc, just a new one for school. It's not like we have seven rucksacks in the wardrobe. She has a few small handbags, a suitcase and a rucksack.

yes, but if you continue as you suggested in your OP, ie buying a new bag every year, you soon will.

Mine has had hers for a few years now, if it ain't broke....

My 10 year old is all over the planet and not buying loads of stuff for the sake of it, thank goodness! Her friends are the same.

I'm also shocked at the idea of buying new every year. So wasteful.

At primary, my children just used book bags. The older one had two in 7 years (and we only changed because they changed the style). The younger one used the same one throughout. They each had one rucksack that lasted them 5 years of secondary school (part of the uniform). They had new bags for 6th form, but they often just took a handbag and carried all their files etc.

They had separate bags for PE kit. One each for primary (old fashioned shoe bag style) and one each for secondary (again, part of the uniform).

Use the bag, pencil case and contents, school uniform and everything else until they are no longer fit for purpose. Anything else is wasteful and a terrible example to set the DC. I'm shocked to hear that anyone thinks otherwise.

Oh now I’m setting a terrible example to my children 😂.

All this angst for one bag a year! And all this fake “shock”.

I can’t stand all the sanctimonious attitudes.

I recycle and don’t use food bags or plastic straws anymore, that’s as far as I’m willing to go as far as saving the planet goes, until I’m forced to do more! I’ll buy as much as a I like and I do not feel bad about it one tiny bit

Yes and they come out like new. I turn ours inside out so the silver insulated bit is outside and gets a thorough clean (crumbs like to hide in the corners. They dry really fast to.

I only replace school things when they need replacing. DD has had the same PE shorts for 3 years as she is slim so they still fit. I'll replace her bag as the zip is completely broken, new shoes as her feet have grown. everything else is the same as last school year. It's terribly wasteful just to replace something because youve turned the page on your calendar.

I’m so impressed with how concerned some posters are for the environment. I trust none of you fly abroad or take unnecessary car journeys? Buy fruit and veg in packets, etc? I’m not going t9 lament over buying my child a new bag, once a year and passing on her old one.

DS needs a new bag, which I'm mildly grumpy about. He started reception with a book bag that lasted six (yes 6) weeks before getting holes in and we then switched to using a character backpack which we already had. He's been happy with that but the zip is knackered and it's not fair on either him or the teacher if he needs help 3 times out of 4 to open his bag.

Why I'm grumpy about it is he's still quite diddy so we are likely to be stuck with character bags as the only options - I don't think North Face or similar go small enough for his back length.

Meanwhile my DM is still using an old school bag DSis had some time in the 90s for her swimming bag...

Sorry my last comment was for - aspoonfulweighsaton

S1naidSucks I can't speak for anyone else but I haven't been abroad since 2007 and I drive a car (infrequently, when I got rid of my previous car which I'd had 15 years, I'd driven less than 70,000 miles on it) with such low emissions I don't have to pay any vehicle tax on it. I don't think that's particularly surprising for someone who finds the whole 'everything new every single school year' thing really wasteful and enviromentally bad? Obviously there will be plenty more things I could do but I do my best to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

I'm so impressed with how concerned some posters are for the environment. I trust none of you fly abroad or take unnecessary car journeys? This did cross my mind with some of the comments I've received regarding a school bag. I don't own a car and never have, I only have one child, barely eat meat (once at week/fortnight), get most of our veg from my DP's uncle who is a local farmer, we are mindful with water and electricity because you have to be in this part of Spain as there is a water shortage and electricity is very expensive and I recycle. I'm sure my carbon footprint is smaller than some of the posters who are berating me about a bag, based on the fact I have never owned a car alone!