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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

ds starting Y10 in sept, wants a new school bag

17 replies

bunjies · 06/08/2013 11:15

Ds has a rucksack for school but apparently this is not good enough Hmm. He's muttered something about messenger bags but hasn't explained how he will fit his packed lunch/pe kit in it.

So what's the solution to providing a practical yet acceptably cool bag?

OP posts:
TantrumsAndBalloons · 06/08/2013 11:19

Ds1 has a messenger bag. Somehow he manages to squash everything in it, he has been known to carry some of his lunch in his blazer pocket though, in order to fit in actual books and pens.

They are bloody useless bags, you can't fit a folder in it unless there is nothing else in there.

But, I pick my battles. If he wants to load up his pockets in order to carry an addidas messenger bag, that's up to him Grin

treas · 06/08/2013 14:07

We invested ought one of these at the start of Yr7 for ds who is now entering Yr 9 and it is still going strong and considered cool.

Ds thinks a messenger bag is a glorified girl's school satchel Grin

DoodleAlley · 06/08/2013 16:58

Could he carry his PE kit separately?

I remember at that age wanting a completely impractical bag and being allowed to get it with my own money but having it made clear a further bag wouldn't be bought for me for the rest of the year.

Boy did I hate that bag all year even though I was far too proud to ever admit it.

Sometimes the best lessons in life come from being allowed to make mistakes that won't really hurt us in the long run.

Could you explain your concerns to DS and try to make a plan with him to help him learn how to make good decisions but ultimately allow him to fail if its really important to him given he has his old rucksack as a back up?

Not that my blasted school bag was the last impractical bag I ever bought in my life!!!!

AuntySib · 06/08/2013 17:04

I have the same problem. I make him take a backpack on days when he has PE, as he has lost so many PE kits - if it's all in one bag its less easy to lose. I don't understand how he can want to carry everything in a messenger bag - it's so heavy when he's got all his stuff ( the dictionary, reading book, pencil case, exercise books, language dictionary etc) but apparently a backpack is really not cool. Like Tantrums says, you have to pick your battles.

Original poster
bunjies · 07/08/2013 08:32

No blazers here (can barely get him to wear a coat in winter) so it all has to be carried in a bag. Yes PE kit can go in separate bag it just seems such a pita! I'm so not into messenger bags, especially if he ends up having to carry everything separately anyway. In France (where we used to live) secondary kids had so much stuff to carry it was actually de rigeur to have bags on wheels Shock. Can't see that going down too well Grin.

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/08/2013 08:34

If he is going into year 10 he is old enough to sort out the practicalities of his bag, especially if he pays for it.

Original poster
bunjies · 07/08/2013 08:35

Treas that's really similar to the bag I use for work. Another black mark against the poor rucksack!

OP posts:
bruffin · 07/08/2013 09:06

DS 17 has this osprey bag It's very roomy and also has extra support by way of a waist strap if you want to use it. Probably not that fashionable but DS is very pleased with it, after obsessing about it for ages Hmm
I do spend an inordinate of time with him in shops like Go and Cotswolds looking at bags as he is a bit of an outdoor adventure nut.

Original poster
bunjies · 07/08/2013 14:53

I really like that bruffin but there's no way I'm spending that much on a school bag.

OP posts:
HSMMaCM · 07/08/2013 14:57

DD says ALL the boys at her school have messenger bags.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 07/08/2013 15:03

Luckily the boys at DS1 (and soon DS2)'s school all seem to carry backpacks, even in Y11 and sixth form. They mostly wear them on both shoulders too. The messenger bags are becoming more widespread at primary school, especially in Y5 & Y6, but then they have a lot less to carry at that age.

Coconutty · 07/08/2013 15:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YoniBottsBumgina · 07/08/2013 17:35

Animal are pretty cool and they have a sale on at the moment. They have bags in different styles and they last well.

bruffin · 07/08/2013 18:08

surfdome is brilliant for bags

I know the osprey is expensive but it's really tough and i am sure it will last.

YoniBottsBumgina · 07/08/2013 19:47

Mixture of messenger bags and backpacks

minesawine · 12/08/2013 12:53

My DS got an adidas messenger bag in year 7 and it was fine. He got his lunch and books in, no problem. He did carry his PE kit seperately but as he had a locker, he hardly ever brought it home anyway (very smelly Hmm). He has asked for a new one as his got a bit scuffed around the edges from him treating it as a football, but he could probably manage another year.

mysteryfairy · 12/08/2013 13:06

Surely the solution for someone going into y10 is to give them the budget you can afford/think is reasonable and leave them to it!? He's asked to buy a new bag because he's realised the current one is uncool - surely that's likely to be the case with the new one if its picked out by his mum!

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