That Crazed Woman at the End of Aisle 7

I had six lists of school supplies. Each child had a list, naturally -and so we took a trip to Wal Mart one day last week, in order to purchase everything. I started the trip in an orderly fashion, making the edict that we'd start from youngest to oldest and get the supplies one at a time.

Making a plan is SO not my best idea ever.

Going from youngest to oldest - I had the lists for the two biggest, because they were both working - was a REALLY stupid idea. We stopped next to the crayons, and I knew that three kids needed them - and so I grabbed three boxes and put them in the cart. I instructed all three kids to cross them off the list. We moved to the second item and a(nother) kid saw a(nother) item that was needed and asked if she could grab it, even though it wasn't her turn, but she wanted to avoid a back track.

Besides, buying school supplies is SOOOO exciting. And she does not like to wait her turn.

Chaos rapidly ensued and people began tossing random items, shouting, "I got the highlighters I need!" and "I found 8 marble composition books!" Each child had a list of items that we needed to buy, and I relied on them to make sure they got everything. I was DONE ten minutes after we started - but they sill had tons of stuff on the lists.

I HATE school supply shopping.

And then we got home and I noticed something. I was missing some supplies and I had multiples of more than five things. I packed them up, took them back to the store, and bought the missing items.(trip #2). I went to school to buy the packets that the school requested - trip #3.

I went to back to school night, learned of a couple items that the teachers needed, and went out Tuesday morning for those items and the most important, yet unlocatable item - clear contact paper.

I needed the contact paper to cover copybooks and workbooks. I searched five stores (trip 4/stores #4-8, even though it felt like 100000 trips and made me completely irritable) before I scored several jumbo rolls - at Michael's, fyi (store #6 or 9, I've lost count at this point!)- and spent the entire rest of Tuesday as well as much of the evening covering copybooks, soft cover workbooks and folders. Late Tuesday night I loaded all of the supplies into bookbags.

The first day of school arrived. All items had been labeled, all copybooks covered, books covered in book sox, pencils sharpened and erasers primed for a brand new year. I sent them off, secure in the fact that I'd adequately prepared the kids.

I took a nap.

Pick up time after the first day told me we were short a binder, a set of dividers, a sketch pad, a pencil case and several other small items - some of which were not on the list. Trip #7. Plus a check to the school because I had the $2 for one kid, the $2 for a second - although I will NOT tell you how much change both of those kids brought in - but the $3 for kid #3 was out of my budget - there's only so much change you can find under the sofa cushions.

I'm not mad at the teachers and I don't begrudge the supplies - I just wish it would have worked out better.

And then one kid told me that she'd lost a pencil case, carrying everything, and one kid told me that the necessary binder wasn't the right size -

And that's why I dropped people at school and was waiting at the door Of Office Max at 8 a.m.

And today, I made an edict. I'm DONE buying school supplies. If you don't have it, you will have to wait.

Besides, I have a hurricane I need to prepare for.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

I'm telling you there is a lot to be said for prepackaged school supplies. Some companies will even mail the boxes to your house 2 weeks before school starts! I'm seriously considering petitioning the PTO for those. The expense is worth my sanity!!!

ps - and I only buy for 1 kid.

[LizP]

Our elementary school did the BEST thing this year! They used a spreadsheet, listed all of the possible supplies down the left and the grades across the top. Then they put the quantity of each item you would need for a kid in that grade. And I know you love spreadsheets :-)

[LizP]

Our elementary school did the BEST thing this year! They used a spreadsheet, listed all of the possible supplies down the left and the grades across the top. Then they put the quantity of each item you would need for a kid in that grade. And I know you love spreadsheets :-)

[Mary @ A Simple Twist of Faith]

I am only shopping for one, and I am going crazy, I cannot imagine six.

[Megan]

I really think after elementary school, it should be up to the kid (and his/her parents) to decide what supplies work best for that kid's organizational abilities. I can see telling the parents that they'll need graph paper or colored pencils, but binder sizes, notebook types, pencil v.s. pen, etc., should be left up to the individual.

[Nelson's Mama]

I only have shop to shop for two, I always tried to keep their things separate - when supplies got mingled was when it all went downhill.

Perhaps next time each kid should have his/her own cart (I know that's asking for some trouble), an extra copy of his/her supply list in his/her hot little paw and YOU have a copy of each list.

After they pick up what they need, place it in their cart and check it off, then YOU could come back and do a DOUBLE-CHECK and then be on your MERRY WAY!!

[Beth]

I'm on trip 45 to walhell this week. And 2 trips today to college to drop off the crap/stuff kid #2 forgot to pack (thank God he's only 15 minutes away). And I'm out of vodka. No kidding, I was so hyper in my sleep last night that I actually ripped my bottom sheet into shreds!(Like your daughters sheets!) And it was an expensive, 600ct. set!!! Did I mention that I was out of vodka?

[xenia katie]

Holy cow. One way to stimulate the economy, eh? I was always frustrated when I never ended up using an item (like a protractor or a pink pearl eraser). Now I am shopping for our kids, not to mention UNIFORMS... I try to save money where I can, but good gracious!-- it's expensive. I SO wish I was self-disciplined enough to homeschool!

[Lisa]

you were telling my story, sister girl! the 4 boys were running one way, the two girls another. now I send my husband...

[jules]

I guess I'm lucky the PTA (or whatever it's called) is buying all the school supplies and they will be there on the first day of school. They ask for a $15 donation, of which I'll gladly pay! I have no idea what I'm doing-this is my first kid in kindergarten so i'm a newbie!

[Headless Mom]

Yuck. Luckily we don't need much. And people wonder why California is bankrupt.

[kelly]

contact paper still makes me shake. three kids, 12 years of cath school each, covered copybooks, folders, homework books, workbooks...aaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhh And you have more kids than me.

Now I have plenty of bottled water, nutella, batteries and booze for the hurricane. Oh and did I mention that my middle one is moving on campus during the hurricane....lalalalalalallalalallalallala

Kelly :)

[Laura H]

Wow! I feel sooooo lucky. All our kids had to bring to school was a backpack and a box of Kleenex!!! I still bought stuff (pencils, crayons, etc.) but more for their desks at home than for them to take to school. My heart goes out to you Carmen; I'd LOSE.MY.MIND.

[DebB]

I can sooo relate! I gave up a couple years ago when taking all 6 kids to do the supply shopping for 5 of them. Now I get the basics by myself and just bring small batches of kids to pick out a few of the personal-preference kind of stuff. Much better for my sanity - and probably theirs as well - I'm a much better mommy when not stressed out to the max :) All the best on weathering the storm - both inside the house and out.

[Sandra]

thank goodness my son's pta at his elementary school bundles the school supplies and they are delivered to the student's teacher, so we don't have to buy or tote supplies to school the first day. it costs a little more, but not enough to make me want to go get the supplies and do what you did. ugg!

[Belstaff chaquetas]

I "like" you on Facebook. Would love these for my oldest boy!