Back to school expenses

[JanH]

The thing I hated was having a whole extra list given out by each teacher the first day of class. Then, no matter how prepared you were, there was always something you had to go get. Along with everyone else so if you all needed yellow notebooks for one class it could make it interesting to find them. I wished that you could pick up an individual teacher's requirements the day you picked up the teacher assignments (in the last weeks of summer) NOT the first days of classes. It was stressful enough without running all over the place the first few days trying to fulfill the requirements. I had no problem with the list, just getting it on the first day. This was generally more middle and high school. The stores had the lists for individual elementary schools. Or you got that list with the teacher assignment. The extra lists in middle and high school were from each teacher. So, no matter how many folders, pens, erasers, etc., you'd bought ahead of time, there were always things you had to go out and find. Most gave you a couple of days and they gave points to kids who brought them in. We always had to supply boxes of kleenex, too. That was funny the first time I saw that.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I didn't mean to be insulting with my comment about pitiful and needing to make do. I do not find it pitiful at all, and I believe there is no shame in continuing to use crayons, whether one needs to make do or not. I was just thinking of the larger milieu in which kids are sometimes assaulted with such judgments. I figured it was so common for kids at school to be teased regarding their possessions that everyone would understand.