School gear

When I was in elementary school in the 70's, we didn't have the fancy stuff that kids have today. I had a simple backpack and my violin. My prized possession was my metal Bee Gee's lunch box. I thought that was fancy. I remember the worse part of the school year was winter because the mornings were always cold and the afternoons were warm. I never liked having to carry my coat home in the afternoon. I don't know why that made such an impression.

I was waiting to pick Drew up from school the other day and I couldn't stop laughing as all the kids passed by me with their rolling backpacks, violins, coats and shaggy hair (that's a whole other post). They looked like miniature pilots about to board a plane. What could a 3rd grader have to tote home that they need wheels?

We got home and I investigated. This is what I found in Drew's backpack. As I expected, he needed the big backpack to get his football to school for recess. The boy knows what he needs!

At the beginning of the year, both boys wanted new backpacks for school. I gave them the lecture about how Americans are very wasteful and that we buy just because the stores tell us we need more. Their backpacks would have to do for now. They were disappointed but seemed to learn a lesson. Much to my disappointment, both of their backpacks broke the second week of school and I had to buy new ones for them! So much for the lesson. Maybe our lesson should have been on the importance of quality of materials and craftmenship instead!