How do you know whether your child's school bag is too heavy?

[LadySybilLikesCake]

Ds uses a trolley to carry his books around school. For the last 2 days he's been without it (one swing up the steps too many and it's now kaput) and he's had to revert to a back pack whilst I've looked for a new one. His bag contains a pencil case, a laptop, a charger, text books and exercise books, the usual stuff, but it's so heavy he can hardly carry it and looks a little hunched over. He does have access to a locker at school but he has to carry all of this too school and from school, and he doesn't always have chance to get to where it is in between lessons. Prior to me buying the trolley for him he was missing a lot of school due to back pain and exhaustion. After he began using the trolley his attendance shot up.

I had a look online and there's loads of health problems associated with this so I thought I'd mention it. If your child's exhausted all the time and suffers from a sore back, then it's worth considering.

I'm not plugging anything, honest.

How old is your ds? Does he really need to carry all that stuff every day?

He's 15. I've tried asking him (several times) and yes. He has 5 or 6 lessons a day, so a text book and an exercise book for each, and a laptop. I have trouble lifting his bag

But surely they have computers at school? Why would he need a laptop? If he needs work off his laptop for lessons then he should be putting it on a memory stick which would go in his pocket.

He's at secondary school, they go from room to room so are never in one place all the time. The computers are all in the computer room, where he doesn't have a lesson so a memory stick would only work if there was a static computer in each class room, which there isn't

Crazy the amount of stuff they have to carry....then there's PE kits and lunch as well...

Ah, PE it. 3 t-shirts, a tracksuit, shorts, socks and trainers. Then there's a cello (I carry the cello).

I don't remember having to take all of this to school. Can't be good for them, I'm not sure why it's allowed to be honest

Why does he need own laptop? They have at school surely? Take memory stick with documents

Text books and excercise books. Leave text books at school unless really needed to take home. Only odd one should be needed for that nights homework. Usually people write on lined paper for all subjects ( regular lined out pad), and add each class to one small folder with subject sections. At home keep main folders and at end of each week transfer work into each subject folder for storage

Pencil case? Don't store crap in it. Basic pen, pencil, rubber, small ruler.

He has problems writing so the OT sorted it. It's his own laptop. They have ones at school but only for the exams, so he takes his in. I don't think they have computers in each room, so he'd still have to carry a laptop around with him all day. They use writing books (large ones) for each subject until A'levels when they get to use a folder.

I've tried to tell him to just use the laptop, print the work off at hime and put it into the book but it's too complicated for him (dyspraxic).

If he has permission to use laptop can't he just use laptop? And not use excercise books? Surely if he has writing problems then he's allowed to type?

Then can leave all excercise books and pencil case

What laptop does he have also. Any chance you can sell for a smaller/ lightweight one? Ie 11inch, 13 max

I've told him to just use the laptop but he's convinced he needs the books too as he needs them for the notes. He has an answer for everything!

Do you think the school would agree to letting him have an extra set of text books which are left in the classrooms as well as the set he already has so he can leave this one at home?(some of them are huge).

He's using a google chrome book (HP). I could get him a smaller one

I think you just need to discuss the fact he doesn't need excercise books if using laptop

Extra books might not be available but you could ask. Or is it possible to fund buying copies yourself? Amazon often has second hand ones very cheaply.

The chromebook comes in 11" which might work

Of course they will let him have an extra set of text books, providing of course that you are prepared to pay for them.

DD hates using her school locker and keeps all her text booksand exercise books at home. She checks her timetable the night before and takes what she needs to school. By 15 they kept their notes in ring binders; dd had a master binder for say, 2/3 weeks' work and tranferred into the subject binders at home.

Would it help your son to carry the laptop separately from his rucksack?

He's dyspraxic so isn't organised enough to remember what's in his locker and to go to it. He'd lose the laptop if it wasn't in his rucksack (seriously). Bits of paper and ds probably isn't a good idea (he's the sort of kid who will take his shoes off, leave them in an empty room, then forget where they are and spend an hour looking for them).

I'll wait until he gets home and see if there are online copies of the books, that may help.

I have to work in a little while but I'll come back later

Thank you