Forget about the Dyson, I should have asked Santa for a label maker for Christmas.
Not that the big guy delivered on my uber vacuum Christmas wish (cue Barbie Dream House flashback). Still, I might have had a better chance of scoring the less expensive “mom tool.”
It sure would have come in handy a few days ago when I was forced to label nearly 100 individual school supplies.
Did I mention I only have one kid… and she’s in kindergarten. HALF-DAY KINDEGARTEN!
I’m not here to kvetch about the inordinate amount of items (in my opinion) needed to educate a child for the mere… I mean, the entire 3.5 hours she’ll be at school; however, I do question why it is necessary to place my daughter’s name on EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
Every crayon, marker, eraser, pencil, pen, portfolio…
I realize that I am preaching to the choir here, especially since many of you have been there done that for years. Still, I don’t get it.
Explain to me how a label is going to stop a 5-year-old from taking another kid’s razor-sharp crayon if he is absolutely, positively dead set against coloring with his own dull Crayola?
What’s more, what kindergartener (aside from my semi anal retentive daughter) is going to bother checking the label on every marker she finds on the classroom floor?
Speaking of misplaced markers, I assume the amount of school supplies needed to be an official kindergartener takes into account a 5-year-old’s inability keep track of his own stuff. Otherwise, why would a half-day student need four boxes of crayons, three boxes of markers and seven LARGE glue sticks?
And don’t get me started on the fact that glue sticks are only sold individually or in packs of six, 12 and 30… at least that’s how Elmer’s packages their sticks. Yes, Elmer’s. The only brand of glue that is allowed in my daughter’s classroom due to the fact that one of her classmates is allergic to gluten.
Translation: Don’t even think of buying generic brand school supplies. Stick to the name brands featured on the school-issued supply list. No substitutions allowed–no matter how many months it’s been since you were laid off–a child’s health and well-being are at stake here.
I completely understand. Really. If my child suffered from a major allergy I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m just disappointed that the school-wide ban on ALL things homemade includes my delicious (made with love and not gluten) peanut butter balls, which I wanted to send to class on snack day.
But enough about me… what annoys you the most about getting ready for a new school year?
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