When they handed me the school supply list at Greenleigh’s school, it seemed easy enough – thirteen little things that she’d need for school. This being her first year going “back to school”, I was kinda excited. I even thought shopping for supplies might be fun. (Spoiler Alert: “Fun” is not where this post is headed.)
So I went to my normal one-stop shop thinking I’d just breeze in and out…after all, they have everything. I landed in the normal stationary/craft aisle before I realized that something was very, very wrong…everything was gone. How was that even possible? School hadn’t started yet. Surely I didn’t miss school shopping altogether. Seriously, how bad of a mother am I if I totally missed school supply shopping my very first year? It was then that I realized that everything wasn’t gone, it had been moved. You know, for my convenience. “Look for the huge pencils hanging from the ceiling,” one sales person told me. I glanced around, and sure enough, one corner of the store had about 127 pencils hanging from the ceiling (only a slight exaggeration), with aisles crammed full of people and carts beneath them. The floors were littered with supplies as if a bomb had just gone off. This was a war zone. I’m being 100% sincere when I say that Black Friday shopping at this exact same store was less competitive.
The first few items were a breeze…until I hit number 5. I was supposed to purchase “1 pack of 24 count pencils”. Sounds easy, right? Oh, so wrong. Turns out, this store sells pencils in every other count, but 24. I could get 18, 20, 48, or 72, but not 24. So much for the “1 pack” part of the request. Still in prime shopping form, I decided this wasn’t much of a hurdle, just purchase 2 of the 20 count packs and be done with it.
Until I got to the about 2 more items down the list, which requested 2 glue sticks. No problem. Until, of course, it was a problem. I’m pretty sure the glue was actually mocking me.
I know, I could just purchase two of the single sticks, but why, oh why, must they sell it in every quantity except 2? Is it spite? And of course, the more you buy, the better “deal” you get. But if I buy the 3 pack to save a little money, what am I going to do with the extra glue stick? I don’t use glue sticks and I don’t let my kids have glue in the house…for fear that I’ll find the cat or the dog glued to something (let’s just say, there was an “incident” that our cat doesn’t like to talk about). Again, I admitted defeat and purchased the 3 glue sticks, determined to send that extra glue stick to school.
But by the time I hit the second to last item on the list – 1 pack of 10 sheet protectors with 3 hole punch – I thought I was going to tear my hair out. Turns out they only sell them in 1, 25, 50, and 100 count. WHAT IN THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO WITH ALL THOSE EXTRA SHEET PROTECTORS?! How does a 35 year old woman even incorporate those into her life? Seriously, I need answers, I’ve got…oh, say 15 left over 3 hole punched sheet protectors that I don’t know what to do with!
And then there were the times when it was the school supply list, not the actual products, that mocked me. For example, my list stateed that I need to purchase 8 folders: 1 red, 1 blue, 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 orange, and 1 purple. Um, guys? Newsflash: That doesn’t equal 8. 1+1+1+1+1+1 = 6, not 8. I hate math and suck at it, but even I know that (although I did stand there in the store and count it out at least 5 times). Is math involved in the VPK curriculum? Because I’m starting to have questions about these teachers teaching my kids.
Speaking of folders, let’s talk about the color of the folders that are requested. Anyone know the difference between the 2 folders below? Anyone?
No? The folder on the left is $0.15 and the one on the right is a whopping $2.00! The kicker? They only make the folder on the left (the cheap one) in red, yellow, green, and blue. That’s a total of $0.60, but when you tack on the required orange and purple folder, only available in the more expensive style, it brings the folder total to $4.60! I know, I should thank my lucky stars that an iPad, laptop, or some other high priced electronic item isn’t on this list, but I’m the same person that just paid for a whole bunch of extra pencils, glue, and sheet protectors that I don’t even need! And I didn’t really even have much time to question the folders I was purchasing because all the while I was trying to distract my 4 year old from seeing the folders with cute bears and puppies and ponies on them. Because which do you think a 4 year old girl would rather have – a plain red folder or one with a pony on it? 
Pony wins, every time. Just the same way that the metal princess pencil case would have won out over the plain, plastic pencil case that I had to purchase…if I had given her the opportunity to see it, that is.
And can someone – anyone – please explain to me why Friskars are the preferred scissor? Because all of these?
Inferior scissors. Sure they’re approved for my daughter’s age and look like they could do some mean cutting (safely, of course), but alas, they will not be in my daughter’s backpack on Monday as they are inferior. All of them. There must be a kick-back involved here somewhere…
So teachers, when you see a child with 4 extra pencils taped to a 20 count pack or a student that comes with an extra glue stick or two – go easy on them. That’s probably my kid or the kid of yet another frazzled mom who truly tried her best when school supply shopping. Sorry. School supply shopping wasn’t exactly the “fun” experience I had hoped for this year. Next year I promise to do better…maybe.
Was your back to school supply shopping smooth sailing or a disaster? Any items you couldn’t find? Have to go to multiple stores?
My little guy dose not start school for another 3 years but I have heard that other had not so fun trips at all. I even see some lists with like 20 boxes of tissue 10 reams of paper and ect. I think it should be like when we were kids. If you can buy extra for the teacher feel free to bring in. If not just get your child what you can.
my favorite was that the kindergardener needed 2 16 packs of crayons and 2 8 packs of crayons. they come in 24 packs. i bought 2 and called it a day.
We had to get 10 glue sticks. They come in packs of 2, 6, or 12 around here….so we have extra. Then the pencils…it asked for one 12 pack of pencils. As you know they come in 8 or 20. He’s going to school with 2 eight packs. Next was 1 pack of pencil top erasers. These come in a pack of 25! I was frustrated and ready for a drink after supply shopping. Honestly, why does a kindergartener need 10 glue sticks?!
I have to do school shopping TIMES FOUR! Yes, FOUR kids worth of it. They ask for diaper wipes, kleenex, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and yes… even the dry erase makers the teachers use on the white boards.
I’m surprised they’re not asking for toilet paper, bathroom soap, and funds for the school water bill!
Fiskars scissors were on my childs back to school list and I went with the scissors in the above picture. Everything else I went with but I wasn’t paying more for a pair of scissors when I needed 2 pairs (one for each child). They will either get over it or… get over it! lol.
Believe me it does not get better… mine starts 7th grade Monday and I haven’t gotten his stuff yet! 🙂 For the last several years ours has been required to have a flash drive and various other things…. And this year although it’s not required they suggest it is very beneficial for the kids to have a laptop or a desktop computer… thankfully he has been great at keeping up with his flash drives, thankfully we got him a laptop for Christmas 2 years ago and a Kindle the Christmas before last. and THANKFULLY I am married to The Computer Guy!
Oh and Wescott happen to be awesome scissors! Fiskars has just had their hold on for a long time.
Kick backs, Lisa, kick backs…I’m sure they’re happening. 😉
As a former teacher, I can say this…send the extras!!! The teacher would love to have them donated. Not every parent takes their child school shopping and at least one student will be missing the requested supplies. Fiskars are a great brand but I actually liked the ones you had pictured too. I would have just said “safety scissors”. For the folders, no clue what happened on the numbers, but designated colors are actually REALLY helpful for classroom management! It does suck that you had to buy the expensive ones, but by the end of the year, you’ll probably be thankful. The cheap folders will be falling apart in no time and you will most likely replace them at least once this year. In fact, go back and buy more while they are on sale and save them for said time! Just my two cents. 🙂
Also, based on the comments, I would really like to defend teachers for a minute. Teachers make measely salaries and throw SO much of their own money into the classrooms. While I was never allowed to ask for a lot on my supply list (some stuff had to go on a wish list) the budget cuts are insane and if parents aren’t supplying them, in most cases the teachers are (out of their own pockets).
As the daughter of a teacher of 40+ years I can assure you I’m aware of how under paid, under funded, and under appreciated teachers are – I mean absolutely no disrespect to teachers…but I do think that some of the items on the list might be their way of getting back at parents. LOL
Teachers should know the count of things in pkgs. And I would like to know why they request certain brands like Crayola or Lysol wipes….when there are perfectly good cheap alternatives?
I agree, we should be able to use cheaper alternatives (Target’s Up&Up instead of Clorox wipes, cheaper crayons besides Crayola, etc.). As far as teachers knowing the quantities things they come in, I think that’s difficult, especially if you were able to buy some of the cheaper brands, like I was. There are just too many brands… But what I do think would help, would be if the teachers would recommend a place where all their supplies could be purchased. I remember getting very specific school supply lists in elementary school, but written at the bottom was “All of these items can be purchased at (fill in the store name) located at (fill in the address).” Our school/teachers even gave the store a heads up about the things on the lists and that they were sending their students there so the store could stock up. It helped a ton.
I buy the store brand whenever possible. They have to know we need too save money where ever we can.
I feel your pain! So the 3 pack of glue sticks are $2 but the 6 pack of glue sticks are $3, and oh wait, the 12 pack of glue sticks are only $4!!! Having been a parent volunteer in a kindergarten class, I know that more glue sticks is better (you have the heavy-handed kids that cram the glue on inches thick and the kids that forget to cover the glue stick all the way). Even better still is the request for 10 WASHABLE, CLASSIC color Crayola markers. Seems easy enough, but wait… You can get washable, classic color markers in an 8 pack OR non-washable, classic color markers in a 10 pack. I opt for the 8 pack of washable, thinking the teacher prefers washable over non-washable and will deal with not having the 2 “bonus” classic colors that the 10 pack has.
I had a hard time finding supplies too! And, I have to buy double since I’ve got 2 in primary school. I am just gonna put supplies in baggies LOL. I hate the tissues, printer paper and wipes on the list. Seriously? Why isn’t the school supplying them with printer paper!!
This is when I would find one of my daughters friends going to the same grade/class if possible and split up everything.
Great idea! Maybe I’ll try that next year.
I despise school supply shopping, and my sister-in-law, who is a teacher, used to try and say just get 1/2 of whatever amount they say. Manila paper is the worst to find!! Then the folders of a variety of colors when most of the colors are constantly out of stock! Give me Black Friday shopping instead of this any day!
I totally agree – Black Friday shopping rocks compared to school supply shopping!