I don't get to go school shopping this year

cindyg

cindyg

New member
All the stores are stocking school supplies now and it makes me sad. At the end of this past school year the school sent home a letter stating they wouldn't have a school supply list anymore (they used to distribute the list at the end of the school year with supplies needed for the next year). They said they are now buying supplies in bulk and making the packets for each grade level for you to purchase at open house.

I hate this because I always enjoyed going school supply shopping with my daughter each year before school. Does anyone else enjoy this too? The bad thing is, they aren't even giving you an option - they won't give a list, you have to buy the school supply packet from the school.


Am I being silly that this makes me sad? They wear uniforms at her school so we can't go school clothes shopping either - darn it, they are just taking away all of my legitimate shopping opportunities :crying: .
 
I'm obsessed with all things stationary related. I would absolutely still be going school supply shopping.

Look at it this way, you don't get go and do it now, but once you get the packet from them, it'll run out eventually and then you can go and replace schtuff :)
 
Iknow! They don't do that at Nathan's school yet but they DO do it for Kindergarten. I remember being excited in 1st grade because we would get to do our own shopping, only to find out that the list was micro-specific. Red, three pronged folder, that sort of thing. We didn't really get to pick anything out at all! And then had to pay a $60 fee anyway for a stupid workbook, on top of everything else!
 
I looooooooove stationary and pens, and all stuff like that. I'd be ticked! I would probably still go buy stuff LOL.

I'm sorry, it is fun to take them out and pick out their backpacks and stuff. That stinks!
 
They did that at my DS's preschool, but this year will be the first year we get to go school supply shopping, I'm actually kind of excited. Sorry, you don't get to do that this year :(
 
Ok, so I get that it would be sad not to school shop. I would miss it. But man, I'm a teacher, and we just got out of school three weeks ago. Already we have backpacks in the aisles at Target...summer vacation gets shorter and shorter....
 
The lists are soooo specific, it's actually just easier for me to buy the box of supplies and be done with it.

Teachers always need supplies - pencils, sanitizing wipes, etc. - maybe you could buy some stuff and give it to the teacher?

:) Michele
 
I'm obsessed with all things stationary related
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ME TOO!!!!!!!! I buy so much stationery!!! LOVE stuff like this!

They "pool" supplies at her school (they even did this before when you got to buy your own supplies) so all the supplies go into one big "pot" and all the kids share them. They make them last the whole year this way. The only thing they've ever asked for more of in the three years she's been in school is antibacterial gel or wipes. :(
 
The school I teach at does both- you can buy the pre-packaged cardboard suitcase of supplies or use the supply list and buy your own. The pre-packaged is usually done out of convenience for families with lots of kids in different grade levels or who don't want to buy their own- so I'd be bummed!
I hate walmart but their ad had CHEAP supplies- maybe because I'm a teacher (or possibly because I'm a nerd) I LOVE school supply shopping!
 
When my oldest was in Kindergarten, we went supply shopping. But, it was soooooo frustrating because everything was so uber-specific, dh& I spent the entire weekend driving around from store to store to try to find everything. After that, I swore I would never do it again. And, now that I have 2 in school, I much prefer to write a check to the PTO and be done with it.
 
SirScrapalot said:
Ok, so I get that it would be sad not to school shop. I would miss it. But man, I'm a teacher, and we just got out of school three weeks ago. Already we have backpacks in the aisles at Target...summer vacation gets shorter and shorter....
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Three weeks ago????? Where do you teach? My kids have been out since May 29th. Our summer is almost over :blink: The boys (including dh LOL) go back to school on August 24th.
 
So you have to buy your own pencils, pens, sharpeners, rulers etc ?:blink:

In England you buy your kids their uniform, sports kit and school bag and that's all they need until they get into secondary education. Pencils, felt pens, rulers, work books etc are all provided by school.
 
We have either option at my kids' school, and they chose to do it ourselves this year, so I guess they like it too!
 
Oh that's no fun! Can you at least get her a book bag? Man at least "something" fun to make it feel like you're preparing for another school year.
 
IKWYM. I didn't get to do that for DS for Kindy. I hope they will let us this year for 1st grade... His Kindy teacher told me that they bought the stuff just to make sure that EVERYONE had all the supplies required. Understandable but still no fun....
 
what a bummer...you can still buy some things, though, to set up a work area at home...I teach Kindergarten, and that's something we often suggest to parents who want to buy some of the extras that we don't ask for...I'm sure we'll be doing that for my DD when she gets old enough...

I can see the point of schools buying in bulk and letting parents buy from them...the schools get the supplies at an amazing discount, and they can be sure they get what they want/need most, and that all children have supplies, and it might be enough discount for some of those families who would have otherwise said they couldn't afford to do the shopping...unfortunately, not all parents are like you ladies, getting all excited about school shopping...

your post totally got me thinking that I need to be writing up my purchase list for parents. We have all the essentials for our classrooms (for the most part) but we ask for donations of items we need for the room to pool for all students use, and give a few specific requirements for student personal use items...I better get off here and go work on that list...our secretary will be after us soon for it....I get my class list next week...summer is going too quick!!!
 
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I would be bummed too. But I think Col is right. The stuff will eventually run out and then you can shop without all the rush :)
 
I can imagine how you are feeling because school shopping is totally my favorite!! I would be bummed to!
 
oh I would be so SAD too! I LOOOOOOVE school supply shopping time! Not that it really matters for us since we're homeschooling at the moment.

(btw, I found composition notebooks for 50 cents at Walmart this week)
 
ugh I would hate that too!! :( There's something thrilling about back to school shopping! They are robbing mommies everywhere!
 
As an office/school supply junkie, I just buy a few special fun things to start the year off. That way I still get the fun without all the pressure. The supply lists are absolutely insane...sucks the fun out of it, I tell ya'. :cursing: I personally love writing the check to the PTA and having everything ready, it ends up being less expensive too.
 
Though I really enjoy doing school shopping, I would have given anything for them to have prepackaged bundles to buy for DD last year for Kindergarten. We had so much trouble finding what we needed. We live in a small town so there aren't many places to shop and at the time didn't have a well enough running car to go to a bigger town to shop.

Try finding twistable crayons. It was totally impossible to find them. I even had my parents look for them at a Super Walmart and they couldn't find them. We had to get them online and pay alot more money for them on top of shipping and handling.
 
I looooove school supply shopping!
When I was a kid, my dad actually understood the necessity of having cool supplies - not cool because they had the latest charicter on them, but cool because they were funky pens with 'my' colours and matched my backpack, and pretty notebooks and the best markers, etc. We didn't splurge much in our family there wasn't much to go around but THIS was a big deal! I looooved going school shopping and can't wait until my kids are old enough to outfit them with the perfect stuff.
I think that's awful that they don't give you a choice :(
 
OrphanAnnie1016 said:
Try finding twistable crayons. It was totally impossible to find them. I even had my parents look for them at a Super Walmart and they couldn't find them. We had to get them online and pay alot more money for them on top of shipping and handling.
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ack, why do they make you by twistable crayons? I hate those things! my kids just twist twist twist until the crayon pops out. (well that's what they did when they were younger and now I refuse to buy them) plus I think they are just a waste of plastic.
 
We had to have 2 of them. You would think that the local store that we do have would carry the supplies that we need for school or the school should supply the items that aren't available. With the gas prices I don't want to spend a bunch of driving looking for things that are impossible to find. I'm hoping she doesn't need twistables for 1st grade or I will just scream.
 
I love school supply shopping. Last year all I had to get was a backpack and lunchkit for my son going into kindergarten. I haven't gotten a supply list yet (though school doesn't start for over a month yet), so I'm not sure if we get to go or not. I will be upset if I don't get to...I liked picking out stuff when I was in school, and was hoping to pass that on to my kids (haha).
 
Our school does that too but we never buy the packets. The supplies in stores are soooo much cheaper and I buy tons to last all year. They have spiral notebooks for like 8 cents and notebook paper for like 15 cents and crayons are down to like 10 cents. I buy like 40 to 50 dollars worth of supplies and send some in to the classrooms and keep the rest at home. The schools might buy in bulk but they charge regular price. I remember when they did it the first year at my childrens school they charged like 30 dollars for each kid and you didnt get much included
 
Our shcool provides everything (even daily snack through the 6th grade) and charges nothing. I do like this even though I like school supply shopping, it just means I can buy all the cool stuff for me and keep it all to myself!!! :D :D :D
 
I would be sad too, my kids and I always make a morning of it! And I would be upset that you are not given the option of finding sales and saving money!
 
ajf9597 said:
They did that at my DS's preschool, but this year will be the first year we get to go school supply shopping, I'm actually kind of excited. Sorry, you don't get to do that this year :(
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Ditto Angel! I can't wait to go shopping for my daughter!
 
It is a ritual in our house and my girls really look forward to it too. I have the option of ready packed but always do our own. However, when those crayons are 25 cents etc you could always go shopping for your home craft stash - I always pick up enough for the year in Sept when it is so cheap. BTW Does anyone need any glue I picked up for 10 cents each last fall???
 
Oh I would miss back to school shopping if we didn't get to go! Wesley, my oldest, is as obsessed with the stuff as I am, so it's always fun for us!
 
Oh wow! I think that's really cool!! And as a teacher, I like that idea. No more "she has better colors than I do" or "he has Captain Jack Sparrow folders and I don't" crap. LOL
 
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