Buying kids stuff from the thrift store

[Anonymous]

my dd lost her lunch bag, her Back pack with a $15 stainless bottle. I flipped and was flustered about buying yet again another set of these stuff but i had to as its required for her summer camp. So i went out to the thrift store and bought a replacement including the bottle. My husband says I was crazy to buy something second hand especially for kids waterbottles and said i would even be better off using a coke bottle and a cloth cooler bag from the supermarket. What do you guys think? On hindsight he could be right and the klean kanteen used at the thrift store (though looked decently clean) may have been a bad idea?

[Anonymous]

Why would it be a bad idea? Can he articulate what the problem is? Does he think it has "cooties"?

[Anonymous]

I also don't understand why it would be a bad idea. Things can be washed -- especially things made out of metal. Does your husband think that you will get bed bugs from these things? Or anthrax? Or pooritis?

[Anonymous]

What's the problem? Thrift stores, consignment sales, yard sales - all great places to get get stuff. My kids (12, 10, 9) have been going with me for years to see what great finds we can get. The only thing I won't buy are underwear and socks.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't buy a used water bottle, but I'm a little squeamish about germs. (Yes, I realize it can be washed!) Certain things I wouldn't buy used if I could avoid it, like water bottles, shoes, underwear, socks....

[Anonymous]

She'll be fine and that's a great lesson to teach her. You lose the nice stuff, you don't get the shiny new stuff again.

[Anonymous]

Pooritis!!!!

[Anonymous]

I actually even bought underwear for my DD at age 2 when she was potty training. Then if there was a mess I could just toss in the garbage. Of course I bleached the heck out of them before I let her wear them

[Anonymous]

I would probably think twice about the water bottle but I am not sure why as I buy plenty of other things we eat from at thrift stores. Maybe because I never feel like water bottles get totally even when I am the cleaner..lots of nooks and crannies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She'll be fine and that's a great lesson to teach her. You lose the nice stuff, you don't get the shiny new stuff again.

+1. It is fine. If you're that concerned about germs, rinse with bleach solution and then boil it.

[Anonymous]

You can't ever get those things really clean. I would not do it. I'd get a $2-3 new water bottle, a cheaper basic lunch bag and backpack. Sounds like you are being spiteful. Depending on her age, stuff gets lost. Don't buy expensive stuff, but be realistic. We just got a back pack with matching free lunch box for I think $16 at Toys R Us. If it gets lost, no big deal - we have a nicer one for other things. Most of the thrift stores are overpriced and I get new cheaper on clearance - you buy and put away an extra if you know that's going to happen.

[Anonymous]

You can't ever get those things really clean.

Do dishwashers exist in your world?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my dd lost her lunch bag, her Back pack with a $15 stainless bottle. I flipped and was flustered about buying yet again another set of these stuff but i had to as its required for her summer camp. So i went out to the thrift store and bought a replacement including the bottle. My husband says I was crazy to buy something second hand especially for kids waterbottles and said i would even be better off using a coke bottle and a cloth cooler bag from the supermarket. What do you guys think? On hindsight he could be right and the klean kanteen used at the thrift store (though looked decently clean) may have been a bad idea?

Is your daughter at Calleva? My kids have lost water bottles there daily. I spoke with camp and they highly discourage a stainless steel water bottle as they know this is an area they are not good with. This year we are sending re-used Gatorade bottles. They have survived and I do not get frustrated when the Sigg does not come home.

[Anonymous]

I would worry about a plastic bottle heating up in the sun at camp. Anyone else? Are they kept cool somehow?

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thanks all! At least i could also see division on this issue. my husband is exactly saying that you cant ever get it cleaned. And he is worried someone could have a mouth disease! He is not fine with the backpacks from a thrift shop either but fine with furniture including a sofa! (I was actually more worried for a sofa as you cant wash it!)

But to the last post, i will send gatorades. Their camp is similar and the lost and found is a big heap too but not a place where i could find my dd's lost stuff!