Back to School Crazy
Bizarre August 8th, 2014
I’d like to start off by saying I tip my hat to all you parents out there. I’m constantly amazed at how you pull off the hardest job in the world, all with a myriad other stresses in your life. I don’t know where you get the time or energy for it.
Pat yourselves on the back. Go ahead. Do it.
Those of you with kids returning to school in the fall are probably running around right now trying to get all your ducks in a row. I’ve heard of schools sending parents a list of things their children will need before school starts, especially grade school-aged children. Very specific lists that include a backpack, notebooks, scissors, erasers, construction paper and a host of other things.
I was chatting with a friend about the list he and his wife received from their children’s school. The list is long and painfully precise. Stray from the list under penalty of death. Among the things they need to buy is a 48-count box of crayons.
Here comes the crazy….
Parents are supposed to write or affix their child’s name to all of their belongings so they always get returned to the child.
Including the crayons.
No, they aren’t supposed to write the child’s name on the box itself. They are instructed to write the name on each and every crayon.
My jaw dropped and I argued with my friend for five minutes that he must be playing a joke on me. He insisted this was true and got his wife on the phone to let me hear just how true this is and how much fun they have with this chore.
Still in disbelief, I Googled it and sure enough, it’s a thing. A dreadful, time-wasting, ridiculous thing.
I’m sorry. But when I was in grade school, I’m pretty sure I took a zippered bag full of crayons to school and if I lost them or some bratty classmate stole them, my mother probably just bought me a whole new box.
I’m pretty sure if I was a parent and got those instructions, I’d pay someone to do the task for me. Kathy ain’t got no time for labeling crayons.
So how are all you parents coping with school checklists? Did you get everything yet? Are your kids ready for back to school?
Stumble it!
August 8th, 2014 at 5:58 pm
In-fucking-sanity. (Glad I’m past that stage with my so-called adult children.
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August 8th, 2014 at 6:05 pm
Nuts! But this might help.
http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us/Products/Labels/Addressing-Labels/White-Mailing-Labels_18167.htm?N=4294967290%204294965677&Ns=Rank|0||Product%20Number|1&refchannel=b3e659baa4c2a110VgnVCM1000002118140aRCRD
Return address labels.
August 8th, 2014 at 7:02 pm
These lists are frightening and challenging (never had to label every crayon). My two youngest are both in special ed so I don’t get the list, often, until after school starts. After the stores have largely been picked clean.
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August 8th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
I am doing a happy dance & cartwheels this year. Let me explain..
My husband passed away 11 yrs ago leaving me with 4 children to raise on my own. The youngest was in 1st grade at that time. For 11 years I have waged the war of “List versus income/household budget” I returned to college during this time in hopes to improve their and my future, working 2 jobs while I attended school fulltime. I had to figure out how to make sure they not only had new crayons, clothes and such but that stupid little plastic container that had to be clear and in a size that no store within 100 miles carried. I had to buy glue bottles and glue sticks that the teachers would just stock pile and dole out. That used to frustrate me. Their reasoning? Well some parents just don’t send anything. I would have to fill out the same paperwork ( address, emergency info, siblings and grades …) four times every year! Do you know how much writers cramp you get from that?? Then my oldest graduated in ’07 I was sad but happy. An inch of freedom lol. Then in ’08 the second son graduated and headed off to college with almost a full ride. I did a small jig. Then the youngest son graduated in ’12 with ..wait for it ..a full ride to the local University! Phew! I did another little dance. This year is daughter’s senior year. In May I will have succeeded in seeing all 4 through the hell of back to school shopping whoo hoo! No more labeling crayons ( yes I had to do that also) No more supplying the whole classroom with Kleenex ( can’t buy the off brand it might hurt their noses they said) no more red pens that they never used. No more markers that the teachers ended up putting in a mass basket for all even though I did label them. No more…done! Phew. I just have to make it through this last year then I can cry as the last Graduates ..but between you and me ..it will probably be more because I’m finally done having to deal with the public school system. Oh and the oldest son? Incase you were wondering. He works the oilfield as a driller. He makes more now than I do and I’m the one with 4yrs of college? He is actually planning on heading to college but with money he has stock piled away this past several years.
August 8th, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Never heard of that!! Pity the teacher or most likely the Parapro that will have to keep them separated :/
ridiculous!!
August 9th, 2014 at 6:55 am
Back-to-school supply shopping. You either love it or hate it! I happen to love it, but then I’m weird like that.
If kids are in charge of keeping their own stuff in their desk, then I could see labeling things… but not the individual freaking crayons! It’s amazing how many kids have sticky fingers… just to mess with other kids. Sad, but true.
When I taught K-1 in a private school, we’d ask for supplies. Plentiful supplies are critical for children to be able to explore their environment with freedom and joy. But they all went into a common supply center. We’d ration them out throughout the year, assuring we always had “juicy” markers. (The kids loved doing “marker check” to weed out the non-juicy ones.) We almost always used most of the stuff up by the end of the year. (After so many years of teaching, you have a pretty good idea of how much kids go through.) At the end of the year, we’d divvy up anything that was not used, much to the delight of the children. As for asking for specific brands or sizes… we did that because some brands just don’t work, which is frustrating for the children! (Especially things like watercolors and glue sticks.) Sizes were given so that things would fit into the children’s lockers. It may sound crazy, but there was a method to our madness.
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August 9th, 2014 at 6:55 am
Wynn — And what’s worse, I doubt very much that all of a child’s own crayons wind up back in their box. Pretty sure the kids wouldn’t care whose crayons they got back. I just don’t see this happening “Timmy, that’s not your crayon, it’s Ryan’s. Now Ryan, check yours. I think you have some of Mary’s. Mary, Timmy’s missing some of his, go check all the names of all your crayons and see if you have his.” Good grief.
newbuffalomom — Yes, I would have to use labels. I mean, how do you even write on a crayon anyway?
Stephanie Barr — My friend said some of the items on his list are so specific you have to go to certain stores to get them or order online. If you find something in a store, you buy it immediately so they’re not sold out later. It’s total insanity!
Katherine D — Let me first say congratulations on your success! I admire what you’ve been able to do under difficult circumstances. Honestly, I don’t know how you did it all. I’m amazed. I’m laughing about the Kleenex because I remember reading about that on certain lists I found online. I mean, come on! It’s a freaking tissue for crying out loud. Good luck to you and your wonderful children. I tip my hat to you!
Bobbie — Along with not being equipped to be a parent, you can add teacher to my list. No way in hell would I last even a week!
August 9th, 2014 at 7:25 am
First off, a huge applause for Katherine D.
Kathy: I feel common-sense left the school-board some 15 years ago. Mind you what you have describe does not just happen here: but the trend is more global.
Teachers are under more stress than ever because they have little choice but to do what management says – and teachers also get crap from the parents.
Kids are drowning in useless projectwork – which parents end up doing most of the time as it has to be Artistique too !
Less learning happens now in school than before.
August 9th, 2014 at 8:43 am
I raised three children in public school system. The youngest finished in 2000. Every year the list got more insane. The last one required a notebook from Target-an hours drive each way from where I lived. I have a seven year old that I home school. School list and “uniforms” are two of the reasons, not the most important, but on the list.
August 9th, 2014 at 8:45 am
Oh my gosh, I can’t even think about it. My older boy is starting Kindergarten and I never thought I’d be “one of those” moms, but I tear up every time I think about it…
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August 9th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
How glad am I that I had no children? I wonder what their reasoning is, for labelling crayons. It’s not like they cost a lot of money to replace.
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August 9th, 2014 at 6:55 pm
Oh my goodness! I AM a teacher (2nd grade), and I think that’s ludicrous!! First of all the name will magically disappear when they peel the paper off–bright light! Sounds to me like a case of a brand new teacher OR a disgruntled ex-postal worker maybe…OR a serial killer…or someone that just needs to get laid. Hmmm….
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August 10th, 2014 at 5:09 am
Boom Boom — From what I recall, I’m guessing we had a “common supply center” as well. This seems perfectly reasonable to me. I would almost think labeling crayons individually would be more work for teachers and aides to put back where they belong. Seems so much easier to just dump all the crayons in a huge bucket and let the kids pick from it when they need to.
Jaffer — I agree that teachers hands seem to be tied every which way they turn. Can’t confirm without having kids of my own, but from what I’ve read over the years, it seems the problem lies with teachers needing to “teach for the tests.” This rigidity probably sends a lot of fresh-eyed teachers running for the hills after a few years. When you dampen creativity from all angles, it makes sense how lousy our system seems to have gotten. The crayon-labeling pales by comparison, sadly. And don’t even get me started on Common Core teaching.
Catherine McCraw — My friend echoed your frustration with having to buy very specific items that you couldn’t always find in places. He said if you find it, you buy it right away because you never know if you’ll be in that store again or if the items will still be there later. Ugh.
Shay from Trashy Blog — Awww, hang in there. I’m sure the first day will be hard, but just think about all the stories he’ll tell you when he gets home. Whole new world out there for him!
Babs — Seriously. If they get misplaced or taken by other students, what’s a new box cost? Three bucks?
Amy Slagle — Ha! Serial killer! I’m sure no teacher would want to label each and every crayon themselves. How can they ask parents to do it with a straight face?
August 11th, 2014 at 5:05 pm
The insanity doesn’t end with supplies. On my daughter’s first day of kindergarten, we were instructed to write the child’s name and the address of where he/she would be going after school on an index card and affix it to the OUTSIDE of the child’s backpack so that teachers/supervisors could easily determine where they were supposed to be going when they lined up at the door at the end of the day. Also helpful for neighborhood pedophiles and such…
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October 10th, 2014 at 9:17 am
Where are you? Will you post something small just to let us know you’re ok?