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Original poster

School book bag rage

157 replies

pieceofpasta · 15/11/2019 19:57

Does anyone else really hate school book bags? I realise we're probably in the minority walking to school but it drives me mad every day having to carry every item separately (no bag other than the book bag allowed) while juggling water bottles, school shoes (because it's so wet he needs wellies) etc and a 3 year old. I'm sure if you're only walking to a car is doesn't matter but these bloody book bags don't even have a cross body strap and the velcro constantly opens spilling the paper contents into the massive puddles everywhere. Because of a lack of a proper bag lb has left his wellies at school which means on Monday he'll get wet feet on the way to school. I really think in bad weather only rucksacks are sensible. We have tried giving him a plastic bag with the other things; the bag doesn't come back (because they don't want multiple bags) and I only have a handful of plastic bags now. Why do they make walking to school so hard! (I'm mainly pissed off about the leaving the wellies at school which is mainly my husbands fault). Lol 😨

OP posts:
KeepYourCup · 15/11/2019 20:56

Surely you can use your common sense and carry everything in a bag for life/tote/rucksack then just hand your child what they need when you actually get to school?

VenusTiger · 15/11/2019 20:56

Put everything into a big shoulder bag Confused

mathanxiety · 15/11/2019 20:56

I can't believe what I'm reading.

School has no lockers.
School doesn't allow bags big enough to carry items needed.

Seriously?

Waveysnail · 15/11/2019 20:58

I stick it all in a rucksack and pass it all to ds when get to school

JusticeForSandra · 15/11/2019 20:58

I don’t think they give much consideration to kids to travel by themselves
in Primary school, they don't need to, kids don't travel by themselves!

(I know many MN have been walking to school alone from the age of 4, but where I am now, the schools do not allowed unaccompanied Primary school children until the middle of Year 6. By which age, they can manage a bag or 2!)

TooStressyTooMessy · 15/11/2019 21:00

Kids are allowed to travel by themselves from year 3 here.

JusticeForSandra · 15/11/2019 21:00

I can't believe what I'm reading.

School has no lockers.

My kids primary school do not have lockers, neither have all the ones I visited before applying. What's so shocking about that? What does a young child need a locker for.

Elbeagle · 15/11/2019 21:01

Not many primary schools have lockers do they?

mulky · 15/11/2019 21:09

How can a kids school bag take up that much space? How small are these classrooms!! My son has a bag on his back big enough to take a lunchbox, drink, spare socks and trackies (they stay in the bag) and if it's lashing I put his trainers in his bag and he changes into them when he gets in. He brings home a couple of workbooks on a Monday a d they go back on a Friday. He's 5 and he manages to come home with his stuff and has never mentioned children tripping over the mountains of luggage previous posters seem to have to deal with

JusticeForSandra · 15/11/2019 21:13

You do realise that not all classrooms are identical don't you mulky ?

Elbeagle · 15/11/2019 21:15

I don’t know about anyone else’s but my children’s classrooms aren’t big enough to hold 30 rucksacks.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 15/11/2019 21:19

Like Glittery my kids cycled to school so took a backpack regardless of the rules.

SoftSheen · 15/11/2019 21:22

Your child might not be allowed to have a bag in school.

However, you are allowed to put your child's book bag, water bottle etc into a bag to carry to school, and then take them out when you get there.

This is what we do every day, when we walk to school. HTH Confused

Topseyt · 15/11/2019 21:23

I've never seen lockers in a primary school. I imagine they would be a nightmare for some of the younger children there. Some secondary schools don't have them either. Our local one doesn't and it was a pain in the arse at times.

Our primary school had the book bag rule too. They were utterly impractical shit and virtually nothing would fit into them. At least at secondary school they could have a proper bag, even if there were no lockers.

NoCryingInEngineering · 15/11/2019 21:24

DS started with a book bag in YR. But he goes to an off site breakfast and AS club (school does not have one on site) and it lasted 6 weeks before he wore both bottom corners through from dragging it on the ground while walking so we switched him to a backpack and as school have never complained he's taken a backpack ever since. So much more practical. I don't know why book bags became A Thing but they are rubbish.

Elbeagle · 15/11/2019 21:25

Yeah I’m not sure my 4 year old would manage a locker very well.

Ribbityrib · 15/11/2019 21:26

"I think unless you work in a school you won't understand why it's a nightmare to have backpacks instead of book bags."

How is a ks1 child supposed to carry PE kit, lunchbox, water bottle and snack in their arms? Confused We used to hang ours on the backs of chairs when I was at school. It beggars belief that a school doesn't allow kids to bring in the necessary equipment to carry and store the non-negotiable essentials for getting through the school day! Are they supposed to carry individual pieces of PE kit in their arms as well? This is boggling to me. Sure, school cloakrooms are chaos, but they have small kids in them, what do you expect?! I am also not clear how not having things in bags minimises chaos - don't you have bits of lunch and discarded clothes all over the place?

YouJustDoYou · 15/11/2019 21:26

I bring a huge bag for life to school and shove the bookbag in it, plus lunchbox, coat etc if needed

This. Easy.

SoupDragon · 15/11/2019 21:29

No school can possibly ban parents from putting all the stuff in a bag which isn't left at school.

Elbeagle · 15/11/2019 21:29

Well my KS1 children get free school meals, free fruit/vegetable snack and their PE kit goes in on the first day of school and comes home at holidays so luckily they don’t have all that to carry Ribbityrib.
They’re allowed rucksacks from KS2 when they’ll no longer be receiving free school meals.

Vulpine · 15/11/2019 21:31

I've never understood the obsession with kids having to take water bottles to school. Can't they drink out of a water fountain like in the olden days

JusticeForSandra · 15/11/2019 21:32

I've never understood the obsession with kids having to take water bottles to school. Can't they drink out of a water fountain like in the olden days

I am not paying for the school to put water fountains, indoors or outdoors!

JusticeForSandra · 15/11/2019 21:33

Well my KS1 children get free school meals

well someone is paying for that Hmm

Abneyandteal19 · 15/11/2019 21:33

I hear you OP!

Bought my son a clip on shoulder strap from Amazon and it's great- he is only 4 and mostly carries it himself now! Loads of different designs available, as it is clip on it does occasionally slip off but much better than me having to carry it whilst wrangling DS2 and being heavily pregnant!

BOOK BAG BUDDY STRAP https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monster-Book-Bag-Buddies-Shoulder/dp/B07QL9R8RX/ref=mpssa113?keywords=book+bag+buddies+strap&qid=1573853490&sprefix=book+bag+budd&sr=8-3

LemonPrism · 15/11/2019 21:34

Put them all in a backpack, give them to him at schools and take the bag home with you