re: School Supplies

Quoting Jonathan's Momma:“ Well, this is his first year, so I wanna do this right. But next year, I won't but multiples of anything. ... [snip!] ... He only poops once a day, and chances are that he will be doing that at home!! (If he is anything like his daddy anyhow)”

you are far more generous than I am. Daycare is always asking for us to bring stuff in and I never do it. I don't pay almost 300 a week to bring in extra crap. Public school or not. I shouldn't have to pay for other kids to have crayons.

Quoting Jonathan's Momma:“ Awww... I know   I will too... But it still sucks!! I have gone way over board to try and make sure ... [snip!] ... to try and make sure Jonathan has the best of the best... I won't be able to do it all next year (with the no job and all)”

I feel ya... last year my husband and I could afford everything for her schooling.. he made 50,000 last year alone... i didnt work..she had everything.. but now he cant work anymore because of and accident..and he has such a bad back.. he cant work... and im going to waittill the baby 6 mo. in 1 1/2 months i will get a job.. right now im living off of state of alaska.. we dont get much.. but i will try and scratch everything off the list.... starting with her backpack and shoes... itwas diffrent last year he just worked so hardhis working career itfinally made a toll on him..

Quoting Jonathan's Momma:“ Yeah, I had to get dry erase markers too! And it specified Expo... Guess the off brand wouldnt have been good enough for them!”

You really do need the Expo ones... (the generic only work a few times and dont wash off the white board)

but why are you having to buy the teachers pens?

Quoting chasityw:“ In a few counties here they issue kids lap tops starting in the 4th grade too complete homework. Kenneth was going to computer lab in daycare at the age of 3 and now knows more than I do  ”

They do that here with all of the middle school kids, and depending on what high school you go to, high school too. They are really good computers too, iMac's.

Crayons - Most likely your child will use all 6 boxes of Crayons during the school year. Especially being in kindergarten.I am sure they are asking for them to be purchased now so that they don't have to try to get parents to send them in mid-year. Because no matter how many notes are sent home, there will be parents that won't send them back in.

Headphones - each child is supposed to have their own so that germs are not spread. Head lice is very common in Elementary School and this is a way to help eliminate its spreading. I don't think you would want your child to put headphones on that could spread it. Or put headphones on that were previously on a child that has not bathed in a week. Sounds gross, but it happens.

Dry Erase markers - those are not necessarily just for the teacher. A lot of schools have mini dry erase boards that the children use at their desks to practice with writing (letter formation in younger grades) and also math problems.

Shape of the boxes - most likely has to deal with storing them. Most classrooms have little storage and the rectangle boxes make for easier stacking and storing.

**Also, end of July and the beginning of August is the best time to go school supply shopping. All the stores - Target, Wal-Mart, Office Max, Walgreens, etc. will all be running sales. You can get crayons for 10-15 cents a box (or less), glue sticks for 5 cents a piece, packs of pencils for a quarter, folders for a penny! I would save your receipts and take back items if you find them cheaper - because most likely you will!

Some of this weeks sales.....

Office Max -
rulers (a penny)

Target -
glue sticks (20 cents for a two)

Walgreens -
2 pocket folders (5 cents each)
Pack of 5 papermate mechanical pencils (5 cents for the pack)
Filler paper (29 cents per pack)
Bic Hilighters (39 cents for pack of 5)
Expo Dry Erase markers($1.99for apack of 4)

K Mart -
70 page notebooks (9 cents each)

I remember when everything was supplied for us, other than a pencil.
I even have to buy YELLOW (not green, or orange) tennis balls so they can cut a hole in them and stick them on the bottom of the chair legs so thay don't scratch the floor!!! They can't spend 2 friggin dollars to buy a sheet of felt?? Oh, and my daughter said that when they take their 4 packs of paper and 3 boxes of kleenex to school, the teacher takes them and puts them in the closet for the whole class to use! WTF? I have a hard enough time supplying my own kids, let alone the entire school!! Then on the first day, you might as well sign a whack of cheques cause there's always a list comes home with "we need money for this and this and this..".
And it's not only the first day. Almost every day the kids come home with some kind of permission slip, fund raiser, or special lunch day order form....it's always more money. I kept a list last year and not counting school supplies, or anything I bought for a fund raiser, I sent over 250.00 to the school. That's just field trips, special lunches, etc.

I haven't gotten my daughter's list yet, and we won't go til the weekend before school starts which is August 25 here. They will not be getting specific classroom supplies from me....no thumb tacks, sticky tack, tennis balls for chairs, or any of that. That is what my tax dollars are for, I pay for paper, pencils, crayons, markers, and glue. I don't get nice ones either b/c it all goes in one big box to share until they get older, like 3rd or 4th grade when they start sitting at desks instead of tables. Oh, and all that "wish list" crap they can shove too, not gonna get it from me....sorry. Gas is $4/gallon, you're just gonna have to make my state taxes from my check go further.

I just bought my daughters and didnt even spend $20. All hers had was a couple boxes of crayons and glue (which I get because she will probably break and spill both more then once) a ruler, sissors, pencils, washable markers, and a suply box. Anything and everything else was optional and I took the "option" not to buy it   The only other things were like $10 for cooking (they make cookies now and then) klenex, and water paints so I could have but I am waiting till school actually starts to see if they really "need" those.

Quoting Cowgirl47429:“ I just bought my daughters and didnt even spend $20. All hers had was a couple boxes of crayons and glue ... [snip!] ... then) klenex, and water paints so I could have but I am waiting till school actually starts to see if they really "need" those.”

I'm so jealouse!!! I wish it was like that here. I'm sorry... But there is no way Jonathan is going to go through 6 boxes of crayons all by himself! He has had the same box here for 3 years, and has only broke 5 or so. The damn boy colors almost every day. I just bought crayons to replace the ones the other destructive kids will break.
I might have been the "Sucker Parent" this year, that bought everything. Next year will be a whols nother story tho! I promise you that one!
I think I am going to move to your town   I've always wanted to go to Alaska!

Quoting waiting for Makayla Ann:“ I wouldn't mind helping out thise who need it , but I seen a school list for here and they want dry erase ... [snip!] ... boards? red pens for teachers? I don't know why we should have to buy for the teachers. The school should provide all of this.”

but it doesn't sometimes

Quoting Jonathan's Momma:“ I'm so jealouse!!! I wish it was like that here. I'm sorry... But there is no way Jonathan is going ... [snip!] ... whols nother story tho! I promise you that one! I think I am going to move to your town   I've always wanted to go to Alaska!”

They didnt ask for 6 boxes on hers. It was only 3 boxes of crayons and 3 bottles of glue which I also wrote her name on everything with a permenant marker. I am not getting other kids supplies and anything that I "know" she wont be using will never be bought. I would have a word with the school board about parents having to buy the teachers supplies. Sticky tack, dry erase markers, red pens, headphones, etc are not my responsibility. Its so THEY can do their job so THEY will be the ones to buy it.

Quoting CatLuvr83:“ but it doesn't sometimes”

Then simply enough the teacher will be using those so the teacher can buy them otherwise they can take their butts right back to using chalk and a chalk board.

www.orientaltrading.com is a good place to get Teacher supplies cheap and they have stores like it all over the place where teachers can get it at half the price or less then we pay.

where in alaska r u? im in anchorage

Quoting amberly_rose:“ where in alaska r u? im in anchorage”

Thats where I am to.