Bring on The List: A few back-to-school shopping tips from a voice of experience

Every summer, parents pick up The List: a detailed rundown of the items teachers would like every student to bring to their classrooms.

I’ve had kids in our town’s public schools for 22 back-to-school seasons. The last one is entering his senior year. I’m not very math oriented, but I think that that means I’ve been on quests to fulfill The List’s requirements and outfit each of my three kids 39 times. I’ve messed up, of course, but I’ve also learned a lot, and if sharing that knowledge can save one parent from fretting this season, then my life has meaning.

Mama Susan’s back-to-school rules

Get one pair of gym sneakers to leave at school, and a new back-to-school outfit to make the first day special, then don’t buy new clothes for them until later in September. By the time they can wear cold weather clothes, their sizes and tastes will change. The shirt/jacket/pants/shoes they “neeeeeed” in August will be very different from the ones they’ll wear in October.

Don’t cheap out on a flimsy backpack. Let them pick it out, for sure, but get the highest quality that you can afford. At first, they will, most likely, need a new one every year regardless of quality, as kids are rough on things. But the cheap ones are destroyed more quickly.

The flip side of that is this: Don’t beat yourself up if you give into the wee ones’ demands and get the Spiderman/Frozen/Partridge Family backpack and it’s toast, fast. It happens to the best of us. Our personal record was one week with a Mario Kart backpack.

Lunch boxes: I prefer a lunchbox over a bag, as it’s sturdier, and the lessons from the backpack work here, too. Go for the highest quality you can afford and get one big enough for a small bottle of Gatorade, a sandwich container, a bag of chips and a piece of fruit. (Who am I kidding? A few cookies.) If you can find one that straps to the outside of their backpacks, it may stand a greater chance of survival.

If you can afford the new Sharpies, buy the new Sharpies. This isn’t for the kids, this is for you. You’ll find plenty of ways to use them in every color you have.

Learn about classroom community: One year, I bought my daughter cute character pencils, then was shocked to see other kids using them when I volunteered in her classroom. I bought those for my kid. I then politely had my privilege called out and was schooled in classroom community by the teacher. Related: If the teacher doesn’t specifically tell you to write your kid’s name on things … don’t.

Kindergarten parents: You’ll see a mountain of Kleenex boxes, a sea of hand sanitizer and a forest of paper products at back-to-school night. You may think, “Well, dang, this classroom is stocked!” And it is, for now, but not for the whole year. Make a note in your calendar to pick up more supplies mid-term. Buy them if you see them on sale and send them in with your kids.

Keep The List going: At some point, our kids will no longer need The List, but by then the habit is ingrained in us and it’s hard to break. We often don’t have to.

If your kids are grown, consider the other children in your life: grandchildren, friends’ kids, neighbor kids.

You can still experience the joys of the season by finding another list: an Amazon Wish List. While the gigantic, online retailer with a smile logo doesn’t need my help, teachers do. All the teachers I know supplement their classroom supplies themselves, and a lot of them create Amazon Wish Lists for this that will send the things directly to the teacher. Email your favorite teachers, call your local schools, or search #ClearTheList on Twitter to find lists that need filling, and start shopping.

Susan is a Kansas City based writer and podcaster. She co-hosts the award winning The History Chicks podcast and hosts A Slice From The Middle podcast.