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Post by sharon on Aug 8, 2012 15:00:54 GMT -6
Well, glad to hear I'm not the only "mean" one. Tina and I were discussing this last night b/c after he was asleep she was saying that actually she did get a new backpack every year as a kid (thank G-d she knew better than to say that when he was awake and we were talking about it). And her family was quite poor when she was growing up. BUT I asked if it was a cheap backpack or an expensive sturdy one, and she said they were cheap and so only lasted the year, which I think is fair.
The deal with this one, though, is that we received a gift of a gift certificate to Hanna Anderson a few years back and decided to use it to get him a backpack and matching lunchbox. This was when he was going into PreK I think so he has used it for 3 years now. It DID look dirty and such, but I put it through the laundry and it came out looking brand spankin' new! So I think he should wait one more year and then for the second half of elementary school, I'm fine with him getting another one I think. I told him he can get a new lunchbox since those I think just get gross after a year or two. Although that being said, I should throw it in the washing machine like I did with the backpack rather than hand wash it and see! Oh man would he be angry...
I'd still let him get a new lunchbox since I said he could and he has had this one for 2 years now. But if it washes well the old one could always be a back up.
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Post by sharon on Aug 8, 2012 15:04:04 GMT -6
(I had the same backpack for I don't know how many years as a kid. I got it in late elementary school or in middle school and used it all through high school and as a day pack all through a summer in Israel. It was an LL Bean and it held up great. And after Israel the zipper broke and then sent us a new one for free.)
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Post by jrose on Aug 8, 2012 19:50:36 GMT -6
DD1 starts preschool this year! She is so excited. I have been starting to put her to bed early to get them on a schedule but I think I need work on getting up early more than her haha. I'm really not sure what to expect!
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Post by sharon on Aug 8, 2012 19:53:59 GMT -6
Jennifer that's so exciting!
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Post by ballerinamomma on Aug 8, 2012 21:36:36 GMT -6
I don't have a kid in school yet, but I have to say I was surprised you start school so late in the year! Here in Colorado most kids went back Monday! But I do remember growing up in New York we went to school in September. When does school officially start there?!
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Post by sarahisis on Aug 8, 2012 22:09:27 GMT -6
Yup... Ny its usually the second Monday.. I always found it weird when a school started back during the summer month. Unless its a southern state.. they go back earlier and get out earlier.
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Post by sharon on Aug 9, 2012 4:47:22 GMT -6
Here many schools start either the week before or after Labor Day. It's unusual to start earlier I think unless it's a year round school - actually even the year round schools in St. Paul take a few weeks off in Aug and then start again the day after Labor Day.
There is or was a law in Minnesota that public schools couldn't start before Labor Day, but a few year back they changed it or gave the option to opt out or something. My understanding though is that public schools in St. Paul will never start before Labor Day though because of the fair.
And private schools can start when they want. My son's school always starts the Monday before Labor Day.
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Post by ballerinamomma on Aug 9, 2012 5:56:31 GMT -6
Thank you Sharon and Sarah! The district I went to here in CO always tried to start August 3rd, since that was Friday they waited until Monday! Thank you for that extra info! You learn something new every day
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Post by onlyoneboy on Aug 9, 2012 5:56:52 GMT -6
I must be the nice mom. DS gets a new back pack every year. Granted they are the $20 specials and usually only last a year. I also try to get them when they are on sale and I have a coupon for them. This year I got a total of $15 off in coupons on shoes and a backpack for DS at target. I usually don't buy alot of clothes either. Just one outfit for the first day of school and then I get clothes as he needs them. I don't want to start the habit of getting a new wardrobe every year for school. Gets way to expensive.
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Post by dara1012 on Aug 9, 2012 7:14:22 GMT -6
If you don't want to buy a new backpack every year I highly recommend LLBean backpacks. They are guaranteed and if the zipper breaks, etc they'll either fix it or send you a new one. My family has been a big LLBean fan for years. Growing up we would get an LLBean backpack and it cost 2x as much as the cheap ones but lasted all of elementary school and then I got a new one for high school and it lasted all of high school. It actually still works. So $30 for 6 years is a great deal. When DS starts kindergarten we'll buy him one.
DS is going to all day preschool since we need daycare too and starts the Tues after Labor Day. We had to buy new pants because he has gotten a lot taller and his 2T pants don't fit him anymore (they did last winter) and I will have to buy new sweatshirts and long sleeve shirts. He definitely has had a growth spurt!
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Post by smalltowngirl5 on Aug 9, 2012 13:25:57 GMT -6
Both of my kids are very excited to be heading back to school. They both like the routine and structure of school and of course being back with all their friends.
I don't buy my kids new backpacks every year either. My son has an LL Bean backpack that he got last year and it still looks brand new. My daughter received one for her bday last year and it just needs a good washing and we are set.
We go meet their teachers in 2 weeks and they are excited about that.
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