New school bag and lunchbox every September?

[AvocadoHo]

Light hearted debate with OH.

Making a list of school uniform needed for daughter (8) going back to school.

He rolled his eyes snd asked "why does she need a new bag? What's wrong with the one she has?"

Nothing is wrong with it, it's just a bit grubby and battered. But when I was growing up we had a new bag and lunch box every year. He feels this is excessive.

Is it really that uncommon?

[quote MorganHunt]@DariaMorgendorffer:

I don't agree. I would never put the environment above making my child happy. I never fly anywhere, I don't own a car, I don't eat meat and my carbon footprint is probably minus. All I do is buy a new schoolbag and a new pencilcase for my happy child each year. If that messes up the planet we live on, I don't care.[/quote]
Of course your carbon footprint isn't minus. You've produced at least one child, the most environmentally damaging thing you can do. Flying to New York and back every month is less environmentally damaging, which I found surprising but this thread about so many people buying so much unnecessary crap for their DC explains it.

I think I have the only children that don’t ask for new school stuff, I ask them if there’s anything they need for September and they say “no, I will use what I already have” 😬, dd1 hates me buying her things she doesn’t need, she understands it’s wasteful.

I can’t remember what I had but I have bought pretty expensive bags for my children with the view that they will last at least 5 years…
My son has had his bag for 4 years and counting. Am hoping it last another year and a half and he can get a new one for high school! His friends seem to get new bags all the time…

No not anymore. We started to buy new as thought that was the 'done' thing but after the 3rd year when we bad 3 fairly decent backpacks hanging up realised how ridiculous it was to buy new each year.

Some of this is about money and actually lack thereof, oh just buy a kanken it'll last ten years, a lot of people can't afford the initial outlay and whilst it may cost more over a decade to buy a new under £10 minions/Spider-Man/Fortnite bag each year, the child feels they've been treated and the parent hasn't had £75 to spend on a backpack. We are fortunate and can buy more expensive brands and will do if the quality is good and keep using them, the school by my office has over 60% eligible for free school meals and they will all have new bags/lunchboxes in September

[quote MorganHunt]@DariaMorgendorffer:

I don't agree. I would never put the environment above making my child happy. I never fly anywhere, I don't own a car, I don't eat meat and my carbon footprint is probably minus. All I do is buy a new schoolbag and a new pencilcase for my happy child each year. If that messes up the planet we live on, I don't care.[/quote]
There is absolutely no way your carbon footprint is minus.

You have a child for starters.
You eat food
You drink water (cleaning water is one of the most energy inefficient things we do)
You are accessing the internet somehow to post your message
You must use electricity

You wear clothes
etc, etc, etc

@RJnomore1

Ok I’m bored I’ll rise to the whinging. I’m guessing you’re bored too.

Which kid wants the same one? None I’ve ever met...

I’m presuming you live with one pair of trousers, one bra, one handbag, one plate, one mug per person as you don’t see the point in having more than one of anything.

Anyway you’re deliberately missing my point which is that this entire thread is a pile on for people to go on about how worthy they are, and how much better than those profligate two bag owners they are. It happens, asi pointed out, repeatedly and on many topics and has no relationship to real life for most people.

Although I do love the homeopathic chicken threads.

Nope. I don’t know any kids at DS’s primary school that are interested in what school supplies they use. I’m sure there must be some that want new bags and pencil cases every year, but I can’t think of a single boy amongst DS’s pals who would give a toss about stuff like that.

They’re either interested in their sport or tech.

@burritofan

Monday: IPCC issues code red for humanity and the climate emergency. Tue-Fri: heatwaves, floods, disasters. Saturday: lol, lighthearted debate but should we buy a reusable item annually because sentiment?

I’d say “burn the world” but we already are. (Sorrynotsorry not feeling very lighthearted tbqh)

On point!

Mine are young adults now (19 and 21) and I do remember how important it was for them to have a new bookbag and lunchbox when they started a new term in Primary/Junior School.

By Secondary , DS was happy to drag his rucksack about until it split open.

In that short space of time how much has changed

The shops are filled with bags stationary and lunchboxes. So I think lots of people buy new .

My daughter always has new ones every school year- we generally get them from Tk Maxx, aldi or Smiggle sale.
The old ones get washed and then donated to a local charity who distributes things to children in foster care to avoid their belongings going into plastic bags.

Mine are primary and haven’t ever asked for new bags or lunch boxes. They chose ones they like a couple of years ago and still like them.

This I wasn’t uncommon even when I was a kid. I remember going stationary shopping in the 1990s getting my new stationary/pencil case for the year. Was only cheap stuff but I loved it.

Even in the 80s we always got a new lunchbox and flask even tho we were pretty skint. Our bags came from the market. My grandma made our PE bags with embroidered initials. No school branded book bags then.

Lots of things aren’t great for the environment are they. Cars/transport, air travel, fast fashion, meat eating, fossil fuels, having families.

I think a lot of you saying that your dc found it important/really enjoyed it etc etc are totally not getting it! They felt that way because YOU Instilled that in them. As we say here in Ireland "they didn't lick that off the ground"

Yup, tbh it's ridiculous to buy new ones every year, bit we do it. I haven't bought lunch boxes and pencil cases this year though because they never bloody use them. Water bottles however, we go through at least 3 of them each a year because they chew them, lose them or break them constantly.

My dcs lunchboxes tended to last for ages. I would only replace when necessary

The shops are filled with bags stationary and lunchboxes. So I think lots of people buy new .

Well obviously some people buy new because their kids are starting school for the first time or starting secondary. Others will need to buy because their old stuff really has worn out. But no need to buy new just because it’s. September, especially after the year we’ve just had.

I don't think the school encouraged bags only the school book bag in primary anyway

My dc weren't particularly bothered if I remember rightly

I use dds old pencil case for work and still keep all the old stationery as did dm like colour pencils etc

That back to school was always big in America in August. I'm sure it followed over here like most things

@DariaMorgendorffer:

I don't agree. I would never put the environment above making my child happy.

Has to be a troll. No one thinks the happiness of a school bag is greater than the pain of dying in the climate catastrophe.

@Audreyhelp

The shops are filled with bags stationary and lunchboxes. So I think lots of people buy new .

Well, of course they do. Some people are just starting school, or will replace broken stuff.

Doesn't mean that everyone should buy new every year.

Naturally the shops WANT you to buy every year.

In primary don't they just use school given book bags? I've never had to buy a school bag for primary DC. There book and homework log is in the book bag provided by school which normally lasts throughout primary, PE kit in a drawstring bag and lunch bag only gets replaced iif it's broken.

With the highschoolers I've found that a good quality bag from sports direct will last atleast 3 years so even they don't get replaced annually.