Back to School

Back to School signs are everywhere, as are pamphlets. Depending on the number of children you have it can be a costly exercise and one that can create great stress for parents.

We all want what's best for our children and we make sure they have great lunches, clean

The seemingly endless list of must haves, the truth  is they are essential items to assist your child with their education. Children who "have to borrow" are often taunted then again those who have inferior items and share may also. Its not a brand name issue its a quality issue.

Have you ever tired the cheap HB pencils, they break repeatedly this means that children are spending their life sharpening instead of writing the graphite simply isnt good enough. Pens that write one minute and stop the next leave work looking awful and students miserable, scissors that wont cut and ofcourse glue that wont stick or is so messy that it ends up gluing the entire book...the teacher sighs..... the kids laugh and the child at the centre looses a little more self esteem everytime this happens.

I am not a stationary salesperson (although I am passionate about stationary and love stationary stores), I am a mother of four young adults who were wonderful product evaluators when they were at school. I learnt over the years that cost cutting in this area is false saving. When you consider that you are being asked to buy more items regularly  or seemingly as soon as school starts; you havent saved anything especially if you are replacing with the original type product. Its better to buy smaller quantities of a good product and have it used fully than cheaper products that end up in the bin.

Hints - fist and formost if you wouldnt use it yourself dont expect your child to use it. Write with the pen....does the ink flow properly, does it feel comfortable, any sign of leakage?

Pencils - HB unless your child is taking a drawing class HB is fine, does the graphite (its not lead) feel 'gritty', does it write clearly, does the lead accept a little pressure or does it snap easily. Does it sharpen easily, some of the woods used to case the graphite splinter rather than sharpen. H pencils are to hard to write with and B is to soft, these pencils have their specific functions but for general purpose standard HB is sufficient.

Pencils coloured - yes its lovely to have ten thousand colours but completely unnecessary a range of 12 is sufficient for most work. As for HB pencils check the smoothness, outer casing and pressure.

Texta's - The bain of all children are the pretty looking texta's that dont work, sure they get the kids started but they dry out easily and by the end of Term 1 week 3 (sometimes 2) they are useless...again a smaller better quality set is better.

Sharpeners - yes the cutsie plastic Barbie with the sharpener in her rear is a must have item but does it sharpen? Sharpeners are good if they have a barrel to hold shavings but they also need to be robust...look for one with a metal sharpener if possible.

Erasers - test it does it work?

Glue sticks - nightmare city; cheap doesnt work and pages go missing, kids cant find their work and traumas abound. Restickable- unnecessary simply a good glue stick that works. A pkt of 4 as opposed to 1 is false saving if it doesnt work.

Scissors need to cut again test it. I bought Micador and had the kids names engraved on them I still have a set in the house.

There are a couple of hints that I give parents (friends) who are struggling.

Buy one item each shopping day if possible store it until needed.

Buy quality not quantity.

Have a second set at home so that the school items remain in their bags.

LABEL everything - surname in permanent marker is sufficient although I would use a razor and sliced off the end of the pencils and use biro.... you'd understand the humour in that if you knew my surname suffice as to say 14 letters on everything x 4 kids lol but well worth it.

At the end of the year collect everything that remains and store it for the following school year some items if treated well should need replacing OR to create your home stationary kits for the kids toaccess for homework...I had two boys and two girls one of each was rougher on their stationary than the others. As a reward for respecting their equipment they got a treat so they didnt feel they'd missed out on getting new supplies and with one that was a stationary lover such as myself it was gel pens.

If you have a book list that says 10 of this and 3 of that, its best to supply one of everything in good quality and a note to the teacher explaining that the additional items are on their way and give a contact number if there are any concerns. You dont have to have everything day one simply one of everything will do. I found this to be very effective as was a stationary cupboard in later years when I kept reserves at home.

FINALLY

Know that the stationary you purchase at the beginning of the year wont last the year unless your child is 'awesomely responsibly, never shares and meticulous' its unlikely that the stationary will see the end of the school year and top ups are required, initially its was at the end of the term but the the end of the semester until High School where it was annual on most things excepts pens and paper.

There is no such thing as free education what you are prepared and able to put into your childs will enhance the way they learn what they learn and see that their work is valued. If you still remain concerned calculate how much you spend and divide it over 40 weeks, there isnt much entertainment you can get for that money each day to amuse your child.

Best wishes parents, especially if this is the first year your little one starts school and know in your heart that its much harder for you to leave your child than the other way round . Remain positive, smile and set them off on their journey go home have a coffee and a tear and embrace this part of their lives.