On Monday, I lined everyone up in front of a rack at Old Navy.
"Pick whatever backpack you want," I told them. Cortlen and Camber quickly found something suitable to their tastes. Kellen took one look at the offerings and threw himself on the floor.
"All of these backpacks are disgusting!" he cried.
This outburst prompted Cortlen to reevaluate his selection. I intervened before the insurgency doubled.
"You touch it, you take it," I told him. Cortlen held his backpack at arm's length all the way up to the cash register....lest its germs infect him.
On Tuesday, we tried T.J. Maxx. There were at least 50 backpacks under 20 bucks, but of course Kellen latched himself onto one that cost 40.
"You're not climbing Mt. Everest," I told him. "You don't need a water bottle and a lifetime warranty."
Today, I offered him a choice of three reasonably priced K-Mart backpacks. He said that he would rather go without.
As of now, he is planning on carrying his lunch and homework to and from school in a plastic shopping bag.
When I told him that he could borrow one of my purses if he wanted, he catapulted himself off the side of the sofa.
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Wow, I can't tell you how much I enjoy your posts. I remember me pulling stunts like that when I was little and now I can't help but laugh when I read about your kids doing it.
Just watched an "Everybody Loves Raymond" episode where Ray was carrying plastic bags on planes instead of luggage. LOL. Your posts always entertain me :)
Thank you SO much for cracking me up on a regular basis. You're hilarious.
I see nothing funny about this. It's all too true. And I thought I was the meanest mom!
My experience at Target this year was disappointing in the back pack dept. They were ugly! I was also surprised at how expensive they were. Good luck getting some for your kiddos!
Smiling here. I'd go for the lifetime warranty backpack myself. You ought to get your money's worth out of it for the next 10 or 12 years. Just think...No more backpack shopping.
Ha ha!! I wonder how long he'll hold out with the grocery sacks???
I was so relieved when my daughter found her backpack at a yard sale of a homeschooling neighbor (got a good deal because they don't need them anymore)...no backpack shopping for her.
Now my boys on the other hand...
I have a rule about backpacks: I buy quality. We buy ours at REI.
Yes, they're more expensive. But they're cheaper than replacing them every six months when the kid and his kitchen sink wear them out.
This made me giggle as I remember going through similar things with my kids. They are all young adults now,and we all lived through it! :)
Haha this is what I get to look forward to? Yay! I really enjoy reading your posts.
LOL. I love your kids! :) Mine were lucky enough to hit the thrift store on 99 cent back pack day! Score. (They have yet to figure out that there may be other options)
I am a new follower and love your blog. This had me laughing histarically!!!
I think there are a lot of mean moms this time of year!
I am with The Mother we buy the quality ones and they have to wear it until it literally falls off their back (so they better like it!).
LOL - Hey it's recycling at it's finest!
Love your Blog! We bought our bags at the Grocery Store this year! $9.99! Unfortunatley we went in yesterday and my oldest informed me they had much cuter ones now . . . too bad for her!!! Thanks for sharing you make me laugh everyday!
Right on! I guess you could bring him a tinkerbell backpack...perhaps he might change his mind then?
I just bought backpacks today with the kids, and we had the same issue....if it has 40 pockets,then they think it's great. Me, the less pockets it has, the less stuff that can be forever lost in it. One of my children loses his backpack within two weeks of school, so I always get him the cheapest I can find.
I have yet to buy a back pack for my kids at the beginning of the year... my mom does it for me... when she shows up and announces that she has found the best bargain she could find, the $3 one color bags that has only one zipper. They last until winter until the bottom rips and then we scramble to find a replacement and of course there only the expensive ones left.... joy.. can't wait to see her pick this year when school starts for us in 3 weeks... :P
My toddler and Pre-schooler are both major divas. I can forsee picking out a backpack to be a major issue in the future. I will have to remember your idea about the plastic shopping bags. You GO Girl!
You go, mom! So glad to see a mom who doesn't cave at their child's every whim and fancy! I love your blog!
I love the, "you touch it, you take it!" Too funny!
Last year, for the first time ever, my son did not completely destroy his backpack by June. In fact, it is in great condition despite giant science binders and repeated applications of fruit rolls and chewy granola bars.
So, I'm getting 2 years for the price of one - it's an LLBean backpack.
My daughter is going into kindergarten, so I know I'll have to do some shopping with her...
I bought my Oldest Boy an LLBean backpack for Pre-K. He is going into second grade and is still using the same one (I bought his favorite color - black). I have done the same with Youngest Boy as well. It was more expensive up-front, but as far as they know, there's no "choice".
My Walmart had some Barbie princess backpacks on clearance yesterday. Ask him if he'd like me to pick one up for him.
He he he.... You rock!!
As usual, hilarity reigns in Jenna's household.
But. Who and where are the bold parents with stong kids who are going to buck this thing. Backpacks: phooey.
I buy them at yardsales and keep a stash in my closet. The kids get to pick one from there and we make shrinky dink keychains to jazz it up (gawd! I am "frugal"!)
Maybe he just liked last years' soooo much he wants to keep using it??
PS: I thought of you today. My 7 yrold was coloring in a calvin & hobbes book with a red marker so I drew a line on his hand with said marker as punishment. He wailed and cried like I spanked him. Seriously!
Give him a few days with the plastic bags. He'll either love it and you've found the cheapest backpack ever, or he'll cave.
You give your kids a choice? Seriously. My parents just picked up two backpacks - one for my bro and one for me. Usually the same style just one red and one blue. You are the nicest mom in the whole world. My kid doesn't even get a backpack - but we are going to homeschool!!
Stay strong Mean Mom!
My sister, who has two toddlers, read your post and wanted to thank you for the head's up. When her kids are old enough, she's not even going to bring up the subject of backpacks to them - she's just going straight to the plastic bags :)
Nicely put... Glad someone can write humorously about their kids... Its good to laugh at others sometimes and know that you're not the only one with crazy kids!! Thanks for keeping us smiling :)
haha. I go out in September each year and pick up suitable backpacks on clearance. Usually I get really nice ones for around $4 each. The next summer I let the girls pick out one each and the rest I donate to our local backpack drive for children in need. It works because they still get a choice of colors but they aren't overwhelmed by 50 overpriced ones in the store. (DS uses whatever I give him, he's 3 and doesn't care.)
Love it!
It is always such a delight to read you. I was laughing at the idea of plastic or handbag.
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I bought my kindergartner a "lifetime warranty" bag last year and told him he's got to prove to me it can last a lifetime. I expect to take pics of that bag his first day of school high school senior year and send it to the company that made the promise it would last...they'll probably send me a new bag. I have an Old Navy book bag that we're still using around here purchased about 10 years ago. My oldest daughter used it all through high school and I used it as a diaper bag and carryall bag ever since.
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