Back to School Bankruptcy

This is our school supply haul today. Honestly, I don't know how some parents do it. I guess they just don't. I can't stand the thoughts of the girls not having what they need on the first day of school, but honestly, how much of this stuff do they NEED? I have to say that the EBA supply list is not outrageous and I don't mean to criticize. I'd buy the Lysol stuff for the teacher even if it wasn't on the list because I know it's expensive for teachers to buy these supplies themselves all year long. No it's not any more outrageous than the public schools in Burke County but those students are probably less able in many cases to afford such supplies.

I really sympathized with a few parents/grandparents who were perusing the aisles at Wal Mart today with a gargantuan supply list. Seriously folks, at some point can't we just say bring a notebook and a pencil? A few crayons would be nice, but if not, you can use the old ones in my room that are perfectly good and leftover from last year? Does the notebook HAVE to have pockets? Do teachers realize that having "pockets" almost doubles the cost? Are the pockets that necessary? I know, I know.... these parents have bought their kids expensive shoes and therefore could afford the more expensive notebooks if they wanted to... probably true, but do they NEED to? Hint: Use cardstock paper or any kind of paper around the house and make pockets in the notebook. That's what we'll be doing when these expensive notebooks are worn out. The public school supply list was a little out there in that it listed some basic items and then there was a disclaimer at the bottom that said more items would be given out on a list on the first day of school. Okay.  Well then. Two shopping trips? I think not. What's the point of putting out the first list? I don't even have kids in the Burke County school system so I don't know why I'm bitching about it except for the fact that I had to reassure a nice old lady with a hole in her shoe, who was buying her grandchildren's school supplies, that it was okay to buy the 40 cent box of 24 count crayons rather than the 12 count box that was more expensive even though the supply sheet said 12. She said "are you sure?" I told her that if the teacher had a problem with it to tell her that a Jefferson County teacher said it was okay and that since we get much higher test scores in middle school than they do, I don't think an extra 12 crayons will hurt one thing. It might help. It surely makes better mathematical sense! People! Just put crayons on your dang list! Does it matter how many are in the box?? I don't think teachers really put a whole lot of thought into these lists sometimes. I know I didn't until I started buying it for my own kids. Now my list says "paper and pencil". I don't care if it's wide or college ruled. I'd prefer the pencils be made from a tree and not mechanical but in the big scheme of things I do not care. Yes so you all heard me out there right? Bring paper and pencil. Some way to keep it all together would be nice too. ( a cheap vinyl folder is fine!)  I think you could be well supplied for  around 10 dollars if we really got down to what's necessary. While some of us are blessed to be able to afford notebooks with pockets, not everyone is so fortunate and public schools need to be sympathetic to that.

Oh okay and moving on... I made a HORRIBLE mistake first thing this morning.  Y'all know I hate the mall. Y'all know I despise even "going into the city" as Addie says. I really do hate it and I knew better than to try it, but I've been taking this sinus medication and I think it's making me irrational. Anyhow, I have never seen such hoochy clothes in all my life in every store from Macy's to Justice to JC Penney and right back to Dillard's honey!  We came home virtually empty handed and thanks to a suggestion from my friend Tammy, I got online at Target and found plenty of shorts and tees to get the year started. Abercrombie had a few tees on sale online and I got those for Ali. We got tennis shoes in good 'ol downtown Louisville. Y'all can mark my words. That was my last trip to the Augusta Mall. The very last. Never again. Evah honey.