First time K parent. When to start school supply shopping?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't already have your school supplies? Your kid is destined to fail.

School supplies? I already have done all my kids homework for K and bought all the 1st grade supplies too.

She's never going to get her kid to Harvard at this rate.

[Anonymous]

Nice, 12:45.

OP, you should be working on college admissions essays by now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nice, 12:45.

OP, you should be working on college admissions essays by now.

"How I overcame my mother choosing all of my school supplies and learned to succeed and be happy in life."

[Anonymous]

We are at a Title I school (in DC) and the list is the same every year preschool thru 1st. Crayons, pencils, a ream of copy paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, basics. They post it on the website. It's nothing that a trip to Target or two won't take care of. If you're really worried about it get a few packs of variously sized crayons - those are usually out when we go to buy.

[Anonymous]

Google when your staples has penny sales. Limited quantities of some items are a penny and others are also steeply discounted. I am a teacher and it is like a kid in a candy store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A little overwhelmed by the idea to begin with , but want to get my little guy prepared. What is the best time to start? What should I let him pick and what should I just get for less fuss factor? Best store ideas?

If you haven't done it yet, check with your school for a list. The schools will often give you a very specific list of what they want your kids to have and how many he/she will need for the year. I buy them whenever I see a sale, which is usually from the end of July on. Favorite places are Walmart, Target, Office Depot and Staples. And, I go myself - much faster and more productive.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the anxiety. Most of these items you probably already have in your home - pens, pencils, notebooks, binders. And it's not like your kid will get kicked out even if you don't buy the requisite supplies. Does this really warrant a whole topic on DCUM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google when your staples has penny sales. Limited quantities of some items are a penny and others are also steeply discounted. I am a teacher and it is like a kid in a candy store.

Walmart also has a good sale too. I bought tons of school supplies (I'm a teacher too) for 10 cents.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the anxiety. Most of these items you probably already have in your home - pens, pencils, notebooks, binders. And it's not like your kid will get kicked out even if you don't buy the requisite supplies. Does this really warrant a whole topic on DCUM?

Be nice. I am a FTM with daughters starting K also, and the whole school supply thing is a mystery to me as well. It's not like you buy a Trapper Keeper and some pencils and are done with it. The K supply list for our FCPS ES from last year included, among many other items, 2 dozen glue sticks, 5 boxes of crayons, Magic Erasers, soap, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and headphones. I have twins, so that is 48 glue sticks! There also have been threads on DCUM about whether buying through the school PTA or during back-to-school sales is better, etc., so it's not surprising that some of us are looking for advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google when your staples has penny sales. Limited quantities of some items are a penny and others are also steeply discounted. I am a teacher and it is like a kid in a candy store.

Yep, that's what I do too
Starting July I watch BTS sales, and get everything my 3 kids need for pennies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget to double check your school's supply lists. Lots of schools now require you to buy certain things and then they are pooled for all the kids to share as opposed to your own child supplying only his own things. Lots of threads on this.

+1 I was so excited to get school supplies but when I saw the super specific list I just bought the kit. Check Edukitinc.com or your school's website to see the supply list.
I think the last day to order is in early August.

As PP mentioned the trend in K seems to be you buy the supplies but they are shared by the class. I think this is why they are so specific. This means no Frozen of Minecraft supplies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget to double check your school's supply lists. Lots of schools now require you to buy certain things and then they are pooled for all the kids to share as opposed to your own child supplying only his own things. Lots of threads on this.

+1 I was so excited to get school supplies but when I saw the super specific list I just bought the kit. Check Edukitinc.com or your school's website to see the supply list.
I think the last day to order is in early August.

As PP mentioned the trend in K seems to be you buy the supplies but they are shared by the class. I think this is why they are so specific. This means no Frozen of Minecraft supplies.

Is t really that complicated to read trough the list of 10-15 items, even if they seems weird? Don't see a big difference with regular grocery shopping list.

Even in K my kids were allowed to get their own, personal supplies (Mincraft anyone?). We just had to label it.
We also brought all of the items required for class use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't understand the anxiety. Most of these items you probably already have in your home - pens, pencils, notebooks, binders. And it's not like your kid will get kicked out even if you don't buy the requisite supplies. Does this really warrant a whole topic on DCUM?

Be nice. I am a FTM with daughters starting K also, and the whole school supply thing is a mystery to me as well. It's not like you buy a Trapper Keeper and some pencils and are done with it. The K supply list for our FCPS ES from last year included, among many other items, 2 dozen glue sticks, 5 boxes of crayons, Magic Erasers, soap, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and headphones. I have twins, so that is 48 glue sticks! There also have been threads on DCUM about whether buying through the school PTA or during back-to-school sales is better, etc., so it's not surprising that some of us are looking for advice.

So do they expect each kid to go through all those glue sticks and crayons, or what's going on with this??

[Anonymous]

They do go through all of the pencil and glue sticks as well as tissues. I'm a teacher and I usually end up buying more at some point during the school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't understand the anxiety. Most of these items you probably already have in your home - pens, pencils, notebooks, binders. And it's not like your kid will get kicked out even if you don't buy the requisite supplies. Does this really warrant a whole topic on DCUM?

Be nice. I am a FTM with daughters starting K also, and the whole school supply thing is a mystery to me as well. It's not like you buy a Trapper Keeper and some pencils and are done with it. The K supply list for our FCPS ES from last year included, among many other items, 2 dozen glue sticks, 5 boxes of crayons, Magic Erasers, soap, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and headphones. I have twins, so that is 48 glue sticks! There also have been threads on DCUM about whether buying through the school PTA or during back-to-school sales is better, etc., so it's not surprising that some of us are looking for advice.

This is nuts!