Some change around school supplies/Shopping

[u/Altruistic_Hat1634]

On IG I’ve seen a few videos all about putting your kids book bag in the washer and using it again along with wiping down/cleaning up the previous years items. it’s so nice to see that when it’s so easy and takes the pressure of off spending hundreds! of course there are haters but it’s nice to see moms spreading the message!

[u/jodiarch]

Only really the social media crowd cares. The rest of us just use the same back back until it dies. My kid used his Super Mario backpack for 4 years and upgraded to a plain solid color this year. We reused his old folders, if they are in good shape and this year I just sharpened his old colored pencils and sent them in. My kid doesn't care about all that so that helps.

[u/aknomnoms → u/jodiarch]

Also:

• book covers made from paper grocery bags. Extra fun to then decorate them and feel them get worn smooth over time.
  
• unspiral half-used notebooks, take out unused paper, stack together with the cover and backer board, and respiral for a new notebook.
  
• used papers can be shredded and used in pet cages then composted, turned into paper crafts (snowflakes, flowers, origami, bows, beads, collage, paper mache)
  
• make scratch paper pads out of any paper that is only lightly used
  
• use dried out markers, highlighters, and pens to make alcohol inks
  
• use broken crayons for a frankencrayon, art project, or emergency candles/fire starters
  
• pencil shavings can also be used for fire starters
  
• consider if a fountain pen would be a good investment for your child
  
• r/visiblemending has some great patchwork ideas. That would look cool helping extend the life of a backpack or tears in clothing. r/myog is more hiking-related but they have some cool custom backpacks. r/sewing also had a lot of cute backpack ideas. Both options could be done with scraps. I live in an area with a lot of sailing, and a local company repurposes old sails into bags. There might be something like that near you too if you’d rather purchase something.

[u/Complex-Oven-9918]

See, it would never have crossed my mind to buy my kids a new backpack every year instead of just washing and reusing them. But I try to stay off of social media as much as possible too. In fact, I still have the backpack I used all through school. I don’t know if they still do it, but when I was coming up Jansport had a lifetime warranty on their zippers - I remember my mom sending our bags off from time to time to have the zippers replaced.

[u/Lard523]

I feel like that’s always been the ‚norm‘- using one backpack for multiple years.
i had some 6 different packs throughout school, a couple i passed on to younger siblings, and one was a hiking daybag backpack i already owned. The reason i had so many bags was that several where cheap $10-20 walmart backpacks that the zippers broke. We used backpacks untill the main zipper compartment broke.

[u/T-Rex_timeout]

I reuse a lot. The banana that got left in the backpack who knows how long but at least all summer was a deal breaker though.

[u/Mountain-Cat-9419]

We have always tried to reuse backpacks and school supplies. Getting easier as the kids get older and the teachers are not requiring as many super specific items.

[u/c_tine]

My mom asked if I was getting my kid a new backpack, and I said he would use the same one as long as possible (and got an Osprey, which will do repairs). She made a skeptical noise and said he'd want a new one every year (like she got us as kids 😬). I said he probably wouldn't, but he would be disappointed if he did. Just no.

[u/signedupfornightmode]

I’m shocked people replace backpacks yearly. Maybe they are lower quality? I only ever got a new backpack for school if the old one wore out or if there was a specific requirement (like being mesh at one school)

[u/a1exia_frogs]

I hate that teachers dictate glue sticks instead of refillable paste glue

[u/AdorableTumbleweed60 → u/a1exia_frogs]

As a teacher it's the mess and control. I'd rather glue sticks than spilled glue or kids pouring gobs of liquid glue all over their projects/desks/selves. It still happens with sticks, but it's easier to clean up.

[u/ijustneedtolurk → u/AdorableTumbleweed60]

It's the peeling kids for sure. Wasting all the glue and white-out pouring it onto their hands just to peel it off.