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?

Doesn't have to cost the earth.

Doesn’t that mean you’re buying cheap items though? I would genuinely rather splash out on a more expensive and good quality item than buy a new cheap one every year.

@User135792468

Of course she needs a new one for a September start? I can’t believe how tight people are. It’s part of the fun of getting ready for the new school year, plus picking out a new water bottle, pencil case and stationary etc. Unless you don’t actually have the money to do it, I don’t see why you wouldn’t.

Because it’s a huge waste of resources.

I only replace once they are broken/battered.

I had the same jansport rucksack from year 8 to the end of sixth form. It's still going strong to this day.
My kids won't be getting new bags every year.

In general, the posher the school, the more thriving the second hand ship, and the tattier things are before they're replaced

@HalloHello

One of the best things about the end of the summer hols was going shopping for a new bag, pencil case, stuff to put in it etc. After a year of solid use, things get lost, battered, dirty. Maybe I was just really lucky but everyone I knew always got a new bag. My daughter is just starting nursery and I'll be the same with her! Doesn't have to cost the earth.

But the point is that all this unnecessary replacement of perfectly serviceable items is costing the earth.

@HalloHello

One of the best things about the end of the summer hols was going shopping for a new bag, pencil case, stuff to put in it etc. After a year of solid use, things get lost, battered, dirty. Maybe I was just really lucky but everyone I knew always got a new bag. My daughter is just starting nursery and I'll be the same with her! Doesn't have to cost the earth.

Spend more, buy something that lasts. Think of the planet!

@CecilyP

Of course she needs a new one for a September start?

Of course she doesn’t need a new one; she might like a new one or she might not be bothered but her mum thinks it’s a must.

As someone said upthread, considering how little kids have been in school this year, does any child need new this year if they got new last year?

See this is the thing. I was in Tesco last week and caught myself about to buy the same plain black pencil case he already has in his bag. There's nothing wrong with it a wash won't fix and I realised how ridiculous I was being. With so much time out of school, most of his stuff is absolutely fine and I was only going to replace because it's September and that's 'what you do'. Will definitely be more conscious of what I'm buying and why going forward

@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.

@Tuliprain

No way! Think if the environment. We all need to be buying less! Only replaced when broken or no longer suitable for purpose.

This

It might not cost the earth with respect to money but it is costing the Earth in respect of landfill and resources

@MoggyP

In general, the posher the school, the more thriving the second hand ship, and the tattier things are before they're replaced

This is very true. You can also substitute ‘school’ for ‘parents’ in your sentence.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

Brown paper and string. That's all we 'ad and we thought we was lucky.

Brown paper replaced every two years, string when you went to Big School.

And we were 'appy, well you got clip round t' ear if you weren't.

We 'got up before we went to bed' if we were lucky and

'lived in cardboard box ont motorway'

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

I hope it doesn’t take buying excessive amounts of stuff to keep making my child happy. I honestly can’t remember any of my school bags, finding it a bit weird this was apparently the highlight of so many people’s childhoods.

No I don't buy new ones each year, that is extremely wasteful in every sense. My dd has had the same one for the last 3 years (it cost €50!) and will use it again this year. I wash it every half term. And I wash lunch bags every second weekend so they still look brand new. The only thing I seem to buy often is water bottles.

Same with pencil cases she has had the same two for the last 3 years. They are perfect. When they break then I will replace.

[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]
Why does your child need a new bag to be happy?

Primary aged child has a school rucksack and will be using it until the end of school unless it absolutely broke. I’m not a huge fan of uniform, but actually that branded bag was inexpensive and apparently indestructible. More so than the old book bags from infants that I did tend to replace each year as they developed holes really easily.

Lunchbox is fine. I did consider one of those more bento style boxes but decided it wasn’t really necessary as the current system of taking a billion small pots in the existing lunch box works fine really.

If something is grubby and battered, you replace it.

There are also bags and lunch boxes that are childish and older children won't want to use them.

My son was good at losing them, he lost all sorts of things during his school years and I was forever having to buy new ones. Sometimes the lost stuff would eventually turn up, quite handy if the new item had gone missing.

Genuinely never known anyone who’s kids didn’t have all new for the new year. Local churches and charities and supermarkets donate for the families who can’t afford them.

I’d get my children new bags, pencil cases, lunch boxes, stationery etc for every new school year. It wouldn’t cross my mind not to.

[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]
Mmmm.

Yes sometimes people forget to look at carbon emissions per head and per household.

So, as you say, if you have three or four cars on your driveway and fly abroad five times a year, then one pencil case or two is not going to make much difference to your total emissions.

Whereas if you, like us don't own a car and never have...

by the way WH smith have a good range of reycled pencil cases etc.

Oh hang on I get it!! It’s the new MN chicken - how many years can you make a school bag last.

So why is it necessary for some children to have new for the start of a school year but it is fine for children from low income families to have second hand

I am genuinely amazed at those on this thread that just do it without thinking about it.

@MancMum2000

Agree with your OH, it’s pointless, excessive and wasteful.

I agree.

It’s a “thing” for some people, but as 1 of 4 children, it never happened in my household when I was growing up, and just seems unnecessary now, for all sorts of reasons. DS is going into Y8, he’s had 4 school bags since reception . DD’s school has asked them to use continue using the book bags they start with in reception, to maximise space in the classroom (they fit in their drawers). They both have school dinners. Lunchboxes not really a consideration.