I abhor shopping for school supplies.
In fact, if you’ve been around here long enough, you might have seen some of the Love Letters that have come from an afternoon of school supply shopping. (And really? This is probably one of the FUNNIEST things I’ve ever written. If you haven’t read it, or even if you have and want a good laugh, you should read it. Go ahead. I’ll wait.)
So this year, since the teachers were so stinkin’ specific on what the younger kids needed, and because they were unavailable, I decided to go by myself.
And I’m serious when I say that they were specific. There was nothing that they could pick out on their own.
- Six vinyl folders (with pockets and prongs) in the following colors: blue, purple, orange, yellow, green, and red.
- 3 packs of 10 #2 pencils
- 10 (or more) glue sticks
- 15 cap erasers
- 4 large glue sticks
Just an idea of some of the items that my 2nd and 5th graders needed.
No. Really.
That’s what they said they needed.
And guess what?
I didn’t get everything just like the list said.
Yes. I’m a rebel.
Um…how much gluing are 2nd graders doing? Let’s think about this… 25 kids (average) in the class and each of them need 10 (or more) glue sticks? That’s 250 glue sticks! They came in packs of four so I bought two.
Call me if they run out midway through the year.
And for the 5th grade? I bought three (as opposed to four) large glue sticks since they came in packs of three. Again. Call me. I’ll be glad to provide more if they need it.
She’s getting 12 cap erasers since that’s how they come. And Staples didn’t have 10 packs of pencils. But the 8 packs were on sale for a quarter. So they will be 6 pencils short when the teachers count.
And those folders. I have been to four different stores looking for those stupid folders. I got four colors at WallyWorld for 50 cents each. But there was no orange so I had to pay $1.88 for the expensive name brand ohmygoshimnotsureiwouldspendthatonafolderformyself folder and there was ONE yellow one. That looked like something attacked it.
I needed two. I have two things with two very specific requests. I checked another place on my way home. Nope.
Then, when their mom brought them home, I asked her to be on the lookout. Nope. She went to two other stores.
I went to a different store today while running errands. Nope.
My mother, who LIVES IN TENNESSEE, is now on the mission to look for these folders in her locale.
I mean really?
Really?
No offense to those of you who are out there and are teachers. I know that you have ideas and systems and processes. I get it.
But really?
I should not have to run all over God’s great green earth to find two yellow vinyl folders with prongs and pockets.
I just shouldn’t.
Especially when I know there’s a good chance each child will (a) lose it or (b) rip it.
And then there was the gal at the register at Staples… halfway through, she says, “And I’m just going to add this on. You’ll be able to save 15% on all school supplies now through September 12th.”
As she scans the barcode I ask, “Is there a cost for that?”
“Yes,” she responds, “It’s $10.”
“Then let’s not add that on until I see how much I spend and know if it’s worth it.” I was slightly angry at that. I wonder how many people she added that onto and they never knew? In the end, I opted to add it because it worked out to be free. But who does this?
By the time I got home, and told eleventy bajillion people about these stupid folders, I needed a nap.
So tell me…. what are your school supply shopping woes? Do you take your kids with you or leave them at home?
Confession: I abhor school supply shopping for children of mine who are returning to school and need all these stupid supplies. But I personally LOVE office supply shopping. Put me in the office supply section and I can stay all day. And let me buy a new pen. It will change the outlook on my whole day.
Until next time…
LOVE LOVE LOVE office supplies!!! Thankful now to work in an office where I CAN buy mine but the company supplies most of it…but you have to have a few pieces of your own stuff!
I, too, love them for myself. (In fact, I bought a new mini binder and dividers while shopping for them.)
Shopping for office supplies makes me feel warm and fuzzy, possibly endorphins. If I won a million dollars, I would have my own supply store. There are very good reasons for this, tied to a weekly adventure with my dad which also included Carvel ice cream cones. While we bonded, my mom was across the street at her Nutri System appointment. This was in the 1970′s, when NS had about 6 food options – all in a powder form to be mixed appropriately.
When our list this year included TEN glue sticks, I’m like what??? The only thing I can think of is that when they don’t put the caps on, they are ruined. So if we teach our kids to take responsibility for their supplies, they’d only need like 2 each…..says the woman with the messy car, dirty dishes, overgrown yard, etc.
When Em was little the teacher wanted the kids to use specific crayons or something. So she found them, bought them, and told the parents they could get them at the specific store she found them, or they can buy one from her directly. Whatever leftovers she had would be returned to the store for a refund.
If there are hundreds of kids looking for very specific colors, they are certainly going to be sold out quickly. We always buy a bunch of items when they are that crazy-low price. We got 5 packs of notebook paper for a penny each. We always have to check our stash before going to the store. It went fairly well this year.
I am in Richmond, so I will see if they have what you need here, if you email my hotmail with the specifics.
I know that I emailed you, but I love you. And your comments. Yes. Let’s teach them to leave the lids on…. says another woman with dirty dishes, etc.
Oh, do I love a nice new pen! Love office supply shopping! And school supply shopping is only bad because of the crazy crowds when there is a good sale – otherwise it’s great! But I like grocery shopping, too – so I think I’m in the minority.
We were fortunate this year that our son’s 2nd/3rd grade teacher had a proposal that each family contribute $10 at the end of 2nd grade and she would buy all supplies needed for 3rd grade. And ALL of the families agreed to it – yeah! She gets exactly what she needs/wants – and I don’t have to hunt down 15 different sales for the best prices (another not-fun part of the shopping).
That still meant shopping for our daughter. Our school district sends out a grade-specific list that teachers may not add to (though they can take off items that they won’t use). This kind of stinks, because they end up having to buy anything special (like that plastic, pronged folder) that they would like the kids to have. I usually try to ask if there’s any sort of ‘wish list’ for the class – or if I see a need for wipes, fresh crayons, etc., I send in what I can. However, late in the summer our daughter had an opportunity to attend a charter school … Very different. A much longer, very specific list. Not excessive on the order of 10 glue sticks (what?!?) but specific brands of markers (classic this, bold that), crayons, etc. And everything except the art shirt, water bottle, and headphones/ear buds are “pooled” items. So my daughter got to pick out two plastic folders in “any color” – but her pretty purple folders may not end up being hers
And I have to admit that I didn’t think any other child would appreciate the d-ring 1″ binder with pocket that I bought for my daughter as much as I would, so I swapped it out with a gently used one from my office. Round rings – but 1st graders don’t care, do they?
I’m not sure 1st graders care. I think the parents care more. Until they get fed up with the whole process. Although, if given the opportunity, my second grader would have folders with princesses, animals, etc on them.
What I’ve been doing is hitting up Staples every week for their 1 cent deals. We don’t use them all from their list but hello, 1 cent! After time, I got many of the things they needed for very cheap.
I did get the 4 colored folders early because it really bit me last year waiting. We had a super hard time finding the yellow folder too!
I love that you are a …rebel? Ewww no!
You are a Yankee, and you my friend, are a non-conformist! (probably why we’ve been friends since the day we met!) I am of like mind when it comes the list of demands! ( I went as far as using an alcohol prep pad to take DS#2′s name off of folders & notebooks!) what? They are not used up! Besides what kind of message do we send about the environment & resources if we bring home perfectly useable markers in June, throw them away, and buy more in a month or two? Preposterous! Same for scissors, if they work fine…back in the book bag they go!
Oh, and don’t get me started on that money pit! News flash~ mine have perfectly fabulous, book bags that are still performing up to our service level! If that changes, they are guaranteed, and will be promptly returned for replacement! I’ve said it before I’ll say it again… “What you permit, you PROMOTE!”
your markers came home in June? Ours didn’t. But I agree.
By the way, leave the kids home! They are just pencils & glue sticks!
We too were on a mission for the stupid Orange folder…no prongs! all my folders cost 15 cents except for the stupid orange one!! I had to purchase that at a different store (after searching for it at a number of different stores!!) My favorite item on the school list this year from the teacher was the 1 pkg of Dry Erase markers – bold colors (NOT LOW ODOR) apparently we want the smelly ones? Most of them on the market are low odor now! Oh and the wonderful Crayola Markers, not washable ones…Does Crayola make ones that aren’t washable? I haven’t seen any of those!! Yeah, I went school shopping by myself this year!!
I feel your pain!!! And orange I got… just at a price. We had to buy EXPO markers. I just assumed they used the word EXPO to mean dry eraser markers like we call all tissues KLEENEX. They got the ones on sale. I don’t know if they smell or not. (Nor do I care. lol)
I can appreciate the pain. Especially when I noticed the list on the postcard differs from the website… I told my husband (your favorite Croc-wearer!) that I would be frustrated if I had to do the shopping for more than just the one… still wondering if they will send the pencils home since I bought 2 boxes of 24 pencils rather than 3 boxes of 10
Oh! And I forgot to mention that the post card didn’t match the website! (But because I’m a procrastinator, I at least had the postcard to go by!)
And we get to do this all over again after day two of school… when the older two bring the syllabuses home and I know what they need!
(So glad that you, my teacher friend, aren’t offended by my rebelliousness!)
Okay I can sympathize with you to a point. I remember the first year that we got custody of the kids they were 6th & 8th grade. Registered them in school and given school supply shopping lists. Okay no problem went out and got everything on that list (except facial tissue a roll of Toilet paper works just as well and is much cheaper) all the way down to the Graphing Calculator for over $100.00. Kids go off to school and come home with a lists from each of their classes asking for more supplies. I was not too happy when by the 3rd day of school getting messages sent home to me saying my child needed such and such by tomorrow. I sent all of the teachers with a not saying that I had already gone out and bought all of the supplies that were on the lists from the school and the kids have those items. They then sent me home request for more supplies and many of the ones that I had already bought over 30 days ago were not needed that they needed to be patient until my next payday that was over a week away and then for the weekend to happen before I was able to go shopping. One of the teachers gave DD a 0 for 3 assignments because it wasn’t in the proper grammer book even though she did the work and we were going to have her copy it over when I got the book.
After that year I said I was not buying supplies until after all of the syllabus from all of the teachers came home and have dealt with administration to get 0′s for lack of school supplies removed. I do have a stock pile of 1/2″, 1″, 2″ and 3″ notebooks along with Paper, Spiral notebooks, Pen’s, and Pencils. I still have supplies from that first shopping list that have never been open and the 8th grader just graduated this year. By the way I was able to return the graphing calculator even though it was 45 days after I had bought it. Staples was very understanding. Still have not needed that thing only the $10 scientific calculators.
Good luck with the shopping and finding the “Yellow Three Prong Vinyl Folder”
we’ll do it again Michelle, for the older two AFTER they get the syllabuses. This trip was just for the youngin’s!