Names on backpacks for PreK - kindergarten?

[Anonymous]

I’m ordering preK school supplies and saw some cute personalized backpacks and lunch bag sets Etsy.

What’s the thinking on names embroidered or otherwise on backpacks and lunch bags these days?

[Anonymous]

Not on backpacks. Lunch bag is fine I suppose.

[Anonymous]

Initials are fine

[Anonymous]

We did initials. A lot of kids have similar backpacks and it helps distinguish them quickly.

[Anonymous]

We don’t do names because of bad guys “Larla my mom sent me to pick you up”. We don’t even buy nice back packs until kids are older.

[Anonymous]

I’m very anti names on anything outward facing.

[Anonymous]

I don't do names on anything my kid will use in public where I might not be with them (so that includes school especially since they might take the backpack on a field trip or something).

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

Geez no wonder folks are so stressed around with this level of anxiety about your kids name in their bag.

[Anonymous]

No, we used bag tags, that way the bags could be handed down and/or donated easily. No one wants little Aiofe's personalized bag, LOL

[Anonymous]

I didn’t even know I should have anxiety about this and I’m not at all convinced I should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t even know I should have anxiety about this and I’m not at all convinced I should.

I've always heard this as a basic safety precaution. Particularly with pre-k/k kids, they're young and not streetwise and taught to respect adults. So if someone comes up to them and says "Olivia you're supposed to come with me" it's not remotely farfetched or paranoid to imagine that they will do exactly that.

[Anonymous]

I have never heard of a real life crime/kidnapping resulting from a child’s name on a backpack. I am a huge worrier but this seems more like Internet urban legend. Kids are at much more risk statistically from people they know, who already know their name.

[Anonymous]

Our preschool teacher was adamant about no names on backpacks. She was married to a law enforcement officer fwiw.

[Anonymous]

I did it without any concern. My 0-6 years don’t wear their backpacks except to/from my car into their school building. They aren’t walking a mile through the city alone. Hell a school bus won’t even LET a kinder off alone!