These things called "story sacks" - do you have them?

[UnquietDad]

Every Friday DS (Reception) lugs home some giant cloth swag-bag bulging with a "themed" collection of items to "promote reading", e.g. a couple of books, a couple of games and some soft toys. There is an Owl one with the Owl Babies book, tape and some toys in... a Farm-themed one with farm toys and Old Macdonald books and tape... etc.

And every Friday, he lugs it back and swaps it for another. We may have looked at it, we may not. Depending on what else we have had to do. We already have books, you know.

Does anyone else have this scheme and get mightily pissed off with it?

I can see that it benefits schools with lots of households where such things are not commonplace. Odd as it seems, some kids just don't have books and their parents need to be encouraged to read to them.

But at our school I just find it mildly patronising - not to mention a right pain lugging the damn thing, as Friday is one of my school-run (walk) days and muggins here ends up being lumbered with the sodding great sack while DS runs off to chat to some friend or other.

Am I an ungrateful git?

Some poor inmate....
I did mention I was making an Elmer sack, but I said nothing about enjoying a prolonged period of free accommodation at Her Majesty's expense.

I don't need a "non-threatening" way of involving my children with books. My children are not threatened by books and neither am I. We love them already.

But I know when I am on a losing streak, and therefore I will grit my teeth and continue to carry the bugger every Friday.

We had some crap about reading a million words and keeping a tally.That pissed me off.
I don't need to count the fuckers.All we do in this house is read.
I therefore added my own contribution (40,000 from dull MSc textbook) to the form which bumped up the number considerably.

You don't (I don't either, come to that) but some people do. I don't really get why you dislike them so much (unless you are really wimpy and genuinely struggle to carry them). I think they are a lovely idea - and we have a houseful of books, go to the library regularly and I've read to my two since they were little.

janitor - I've got two, one in Reception and one in Y3. Believe me, I am very happy with the school! It's one of the best in the city! I am just a miserable curmudgeon who likes a moan.

marthamoo - I suppose it feels a bit Stalinist, for want of a better word. And there is an element of "oh, Christ, not something else to carry" when I know DS will probably prefer to read his own books or library books anyway.

UQD - story sacks are nothing. I have two violins and a cello to carry home every week.

I fear this might end up going like the Four Yorkshiremen sketch in reverse.

"Two violins and a cello? That's nothing! You should try carrying a double bass, two hockey sticks and a tuba!"

Well there is one mother at our school whose children have so much stuff that she has bought a big wooden trailer to lug it back and forth.
I envy her muchly.

Of course now I am in prison sewing story mail sacks, I look back on those blissful days when I staggered home bent under the weight of assorted musical instruments, PTA newsletters and unwashed PE kits and wish I could have them back again.
If only I hadn't taken that playground tiff too far...

yes, ingrateful git.
Ours appear to have been made by parents (have labels attach saying "with many thanks to Mrs x for making this story sack").
ds has had a sea one and a funny bones one so far. The sea one wasn't up to much but the funny bones one was really fantastic.
Really don't see the problem with carrying them, but then it's the only thing I carry as ds has to carry his own stuff (but would have to drag the story sack).