Gearing Up For School? Backpack Wisdom For Kids

Posted on July 24, 2009 
Filed Under Parenting, Physical Health

In our home my wife is the teacher, and there’s not really a summer break. She has been thinking and planning (and praying!) for the coming year for the past two months. I suspect that’s the case for most educators, regardless of where they teach. And one thing we’re about to do is the annual “load up the cart with school supplies” routine.

When I was a kid, the preparations for the new school year were always kicked off with a trip to the store for pencils, art supplies, notebooks and more. And I had a locker for those items, along with books and such. One thing  don’t recall having: a backpack into which I would cram and carry everything I might possibly need. I’m sure I had some sort of book bag, but taking things back and forth between school and home was relatively easy. My, how things have changed!

The load of things kids carry, which these days includes MP3 players, multiple text books, water bottles and more, is astounding. In one study,

On average, 6th graders in the study were carrying backpacks weighting 18.4 pounds, although some backpacks weighed as much as 30 pounds.

‘Scuse me? 20 or 30 pounds of stuff loaded into a backpack? Well, you know, I’ve seen plenty of kids humped over, trying to balance their packs, which are themselves stuffed to capacity and nearly bursting at the seams.

So, is this a problem? If so, who is to blame here? How do you lighten the load and protect your child’s health?

Comments

One Response to “Gearing Up For School? Backpack Wisdom For Kids”

  1. LaJoy on July 25th, 2009 5:50 am

    I’m always amazed at the amount of “luggage” my 15 year old daughter seems to carry with her to school everyday. She loads up everything from cheerleading uniforms to biology projects with a smile on her face. After years of watching her morning ritual of gathering all her belongings I realize I’ve raised a very dependable, hardworking young woman. Her friends often borrow her soccer socks, school supplies, ets. because she is also one of the most giving children I’ve ever met. So when she loads up this year, often with my help into school from the mini-van I will remember the things I’ve taught her are whats on display. I’ll also “help” her inside so when she is my age she will still have a back.

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