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Secondary education

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Original poster

Will my DC get laughed at in secondary if everything is name labelled?

60 replies

LilyTucker · 06/08/2015 08:26

I'm talking rulers,pencil cases,drink bottles etc with sticky printed name labels. Dtwin2 says they will. Confused

OP posts:
gymboywalton · 08/08/2015 08:12

i put name labels inside pencil cases
on the inside cover of calculators

rulers etc i don't bother with

every single item of uniform has names tapes sewn in and additional names on labels etc-it's bloody expensive, identical to everyone elses and they are careless!

i work in a primary school btw and have never heard/seen anyone being teased for having name labels on water bottoles! That's a mad thought! Of course it needs labelling!

name everything! i spend enormous amounts of time looking for lost stuff that has no name in

Chasingsquirrels · 08/08/2015 08:18

Ds (just finished yr 7) lost both hus football boots and calculator last year - despite both being named (sharpie not removable label).
Agree with others to label clothes, kit, calculator etc but not to bother with rulers.

prettybird · 08/08/2015 08:59

A "sharpie" is an indelible marker pen with a thin point. It's a brand name - but they've pretty much collared the market for "easy writing" marker pens.

They're also good as freezer pens.

I just write ds' initials onto the name tags of his school clothes. Enough to identify them (eg after PE) but not enough to embarrass him.

The rest of his stuff is up to him to look after - not just at school but generally. He's just learnt a tough lesson: had to use his own savings to replace his PAYG Moto G phone as he left it unattended in the rugby club changing rooms and it was stolen Sad.

He is nearly 15 though so old enough to be taking responsibility.

gazzalw · 08/08/2015 09:22

DW religiously labels everything. Bought 60 CASH labels for each of the DCs when they were little and still using them (recycles them when uniform clothes are outgrown!). It doesn't stop some items (football socks) getting lost but generally very useful, particularly with boys (who are very careless with coats and possessions generally. DS has had two winter coats (from a stack of 70+ lost ones) returned to him because they've been named!

Our picnic rug has one of DS's nametapes sewn on it, as we once loaned it to school!

There's a time and a place for them, and no at DS's super-selective most of the boys seems to have properly named uniform! As it should be!

prettybird · 08/08/2015 09:35

I said "name tags" of ds' clothes. I meant to say "fabric care" tags - although some school clothes also have a wee tag specifically for a name.

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 09/08/2015 05:20

pipbin my dh went to boarding school where everything had to be labelled. When I first met him he also had a pair of underpants with his name label in. He was 30 Shock

OP, I would put initials with a sharpie on things like drinks bottles. Ds1 was always losing stuff when he started secondary school,. He never complained it was babyish. i wouldn't do sticky labels though.

CountryLovingGirl · 09/08/2015 21:51

My DS starts year 7 this year too. I have bought his entire uniform and the other bits and bobs he needs. I will label his clothes with a black marker pen and probably write his name on the inside of his bag/pencil case/shoes but no sticky labels.
Not labelling water bottle and stuff like that.

Bunbaker · 09/08/2015 21:57

At DD's secondary school they don't take re-usable water bottles to school. They either buy bottles of water at school or use bottles of water that their parents have bought from the supermarket.

They keep their bottles in their school bags so they aren't likely to go astray anyway.

BertrandRussell · 09/08/2015 21:59

"There's a time and a place for them, and no at DS's super-selective most of the boys seems to have properly named uniform! As it should be!"

Surely at a super selective (you did say super selective, didn't you?) you don't need labels because the children are all too clever to lose anything, and too well brought up to even think of nicking anyone else's kit?

Just checking- it was a super selective you were talking about?

Grin
AngieBolen · 09/08/2015 22:02

Labels maybe uncool in y7 but ds1 doesn't seem to mind me sticking labels on his things ( I found some if ordered when he was in infants and hadn't used)

He may well be the only 6th former with labelled lunchbox Grin

I don't think in secondary having your name on things helps like it does in primary. If staff in primary school find john smiths ruler they can walk two classrooms away and hand it to him. In secondary school they probably don't even know who john smith is.

Floggingmolly · 09/08/2015 22:07

Super selective? Hmm

Katymac · 09/08/2015 22:08

I sent 16yo DD off to college with everything clearly labelled with iron on names......she seems to be the only one with all her kit at the end of the year

I also carefully put her name in 2 (or 3 hidden) places on the very expensive stuff - the only thing that didn't need labelling were her point shoes, one one could wear someone else's Wink

AngieBolen · 09/08/2015 22:35

Don't girls like cool labels with their name on though? I used to at secondary school.

AngieBolen · 09/08/2015 22:37

Initials are no good....no one knows who JS or LS is, even in really small primaries.

Bunbaker · 09/08/2015 22:38

"Don't girls like cool labels with their name on though? I used to at secondary school."

Erm, no.

SanityClause · 09/08/2015 22:47

I label everything, although my DDs are now 16 and 14, so I expect them to do their own, especially as far as pencils etc are concerned.

DS is just starting senior school, and all his stuff will be labelled.

This thread reminds me of a recent trip DD2 went on to the battlefields and war graves in Belgium. It was forecast to rain (doesn't it always, in Belgium?) so I tried to get her to take a pack-a-mac. She was having none of it. So, I made do with an umbrella, and told her if she got wet and cold, she had no one to blame but herself.

In the event, it didn't rain, but on the way back in the coach, there was a big discussion about how everyone's mother had insisted on taking a pack-a-mac.

So, your DC might be sure that it is deeply uncool to have everything labelled, but they're unlikely to be the only ones whose parents have insisted on being sensible and boring!

notinminutenow · 10/08/2015 02:52

I labelled rulers, pencil case, calculator, water bottle, glue stick, everything!

I paid for it all and if lost, I wanted half a chance of getting it back.

DS has had no stick at all for this through y7 at his London Comp. Lost pencil case once and got it back...because it was labelled.

If you want to label, then do it!

BluePeter · 10/08/2015 04:03

Secondary teacher here. Label all clothes and sports kit. No point labelling stationery but do label calculators and memory sticks. Teachers won't open files on random memory sticks to find the owner in case they accidentally open something indecent.

cricketballs · 10/08/2015 07:48

Blue - whilst I agree naming memory sticks helps I burst out laughing at "not opening files in case there is something indecent"; as a secondary IT teacher I open files all the time to find the owner of memory sticks

IHaveBrilloHair · 10/08/2015 07:52

Dd would laugh if I even suggested it, she's not lost anything so far though after two years of High school

TheFirstOfHerName · 10/08/2015 07:57

Teachers won't open files on random memory sticks to find the owner in case they accidentally open something indecent.

What, like a really badly written essay?

Georgethesecond · 10/08/2015 08:06

DS2 aged 14 still has a Cash's name tape in his school trousers and blazer. He doesn't seem to mind. Actually I asked him last year if he wanted one in his trousers and he said yes - it was useful after PE.

Georgethesecond · 10/08/2015 08:06

He is at a super selective though Wink

GobblersKnob · 10/08/2015 08:23

I asked ds, he was horrified at the idea that I would stop, as he wouldn't have a clue what was his, he is a deeply practical child Grin

That said I have only ever discreetly labelled clothes and pe kit, not sure he would be impressed with stationery etc.

BertrandRussell · 10/08/2015 08:28

Grin @ George.

Angie- the initials aren't so the item can be returned, it's so the child can identify his own blazer in the pile on the changing room floor.