Am I the only one? New Backpacks for school

[kaw1218]

Hey check this out! It works as a back pack, and then you can use it in Disney World to make sure your tikes don't run off on you.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4532497

is that what you used for Pearl last week???

 

[aprilgail2]

New school year = new backpacks for us. It changes year to year, one year a backpack, then a messenger bag, a sling and now this year is a backpack again. By the end of the year the backpack is grubby and it gets tossed in the trash the last day of school. Her backpacks usually run around 50.00-60.00 and she gets a whole year out of it, that s enough for me.

 

[java]

We get new every year- but my oldest did reuse last year when the new one I had bought for him broke. He broke out his old LLbean one. This year I just bought him a new llbean one- a bigger one. DD got a messenger bag- her backpack from last year is still great(landsend) but it has wheels and middle school won't let them use this. I fear that one will not be big enough.
So I would say that YES I buy new every year and usually more than one!

 

[rer1972]

is that what you used for Pearl last week???

I know better than to go near Pearl with one of those.

 

[ZachnElli]

When my DS was in 5th grade I got him a really nice one from LLBean with the expectation of using it for several years. Had it embroidered and the whole bit. Middle school comes and they have skinny lockers!!! His backpack won't fit! So we are back to buying a new one, messinger type for him.

 

[Green Tea]

We buy L.L. Bean so they have never worn out. They use it until their needs change and they have to 'upsize." If they weren't monogramed, they would be in perfect condition for some other student.

 

[Freyja]

DS is in the 8th grade and on his 3rd schoolbag. He used his first one for 5 years, the second one for 2 years and we just bought a new one.

DD is in 6th grade and got her second backpack in january.

So, no, we don´t buy backpacks every year.

 

[marciemi]

Each of my kids got one backpack to get them through elementary school! (K-5th grade!). They all got Lands' End ones and my older 2 had no trouble with theirs even then, but we bought them new ones for Middle School. My youngest's had a different type of handle, and it ended up breaking in 4th grade and we got him a new one then. I think each of these cost around $70.

These days they're older and tend to fill them with stinky shoes and gym clothes and candy that melts, etc. So instead I've been buying them the $15-$20 ones and just tossing them each year. Yes, usually at least one zipper breaks, or parts get worn or ripped, but they at least last the year and then I don't feel as guilty about getting rid of them.

 

[JunieJay]

We only buy LL Bean or Lands End. My oldest son has a Lands End backpack that he's been using since 3rd grade, he's now in 7th grade. The zipper broke on his backpack last year, I called Lands End and they sent me a new one the next day.

My younger son wanted a critter backpack from LL Bean and since they have the same policy of standing by their products, we splurged for one. Its held up even better than the Lands End backpack. He's on his 2nd year of using it and it looks almost new still. Which is a feat in itself, since this is a child who is pretty hard on his stuff.

We also have several LL Bean lunch boxes/packs. These are also several years old and have somehow held up so well over time.

 

[daisyduck123]

We've never re-used backpacks...oops, except once!!

DD13 (9th grade) has had a new one every year. This year, she got a $60.00 one from L.L. Bean. She got the largest one they have...it has the most square cubic inches of all their backkpacks.

DS9 is re-using one this year. This is our first time re-using one, but it looks as new as the day we got it....don't know how that happened!!!

 

[happy_redhead]

My oldest is on his 4th year with his LL Bean backpack. When his needs change, I'll go get him a new LL Bean backpack.

Yep, it's a tad pricy compared to the others, but I only have to buy it once. Then I get to choose when to purchase another one.

 

[bigbabyblues]

You're not the only one, op!

Last year we bought ds a cheap backpack from Walmart. He was in kindergarten, and we didn't know what he would want/use.

This year, I bought him one from L.L. Bean. He's going to use it as long as I can make him, which he understood when I bought. When he's done with it, I'm going to try to pass it on to ds2, who is two years younger. It has gecko's on it, so I guess ds1 won't want it forever.

 

[JunieJay]

Also, for anyone contemplating buying an LL Bean backpack, my suggestion is to wait until mid October if you can. They had a killer sale on backpacks in October 2006, most were at least 50 percent off and some close to 70 percent off. I got a few to have on hand, and a couple which I sold on ebay. We carry backpacks a lot for travel, and DH uses them because he rides a motorcycle to and from work pretty often, so we can never really have too many.

 

[aprilgail2]

We've never re-used backpacks...oops, except once!!

DD13 (9th grade) has had a new one every year. This year, she got a $60.00 one from L.L. Bean. She got the largest one they have...it has the most square cubic inches of all their backkpacks.

!!!

We haven't had to buy a big size one yet, my daughter can not carry more than 6.4 pounds on her back- 15 percent of her body weight, she she really has no need for a giant one.



Cedars Sinai Medical Center
BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY: AVOIDING BACKPACK INJURY
Tips for helping your kids to wear their backpacks safely
– Despite parents’ best efforts to protect their children from getting hurt,
one of the greatest sources of potential injury often gets overlooked even when it’s in plain sight: the
backpack. Considered the most efficient way to carry books and other items that kids need for school, when
it’s overstuffed, it may actually be causing the pain and fatigue that as many as 50 percent of kids today are
experiencing.
“Although there are a number of causes for back pain in school-age children, many kids are carrying
backpacks that weigh more than 15 percent of their body weight,” said Avrom Gart, M.D., a Medical
Director at the Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders. “Over time, children carrying this kind of weight
can develop serious back pain and other problems that can require treatment.”
Compared to satchels or briefcases, backpacks are typically safer for kids because they distribute weight
evenly across the body and are supported by the back and abdominal muscles. Furthermore, children and
teens prefer them because they are fashionable, hold more items, and come with multiple compartments that
help them to stay organized.
But despite their usefulness, a major study reported by the American Physical Therapy Association has
found that more than 50 percent of children surveyed carry backpacks heavier than 15 percent of their body
weight.
“To manage the load, children sometimes arch their backs or lean forward, causing them to develop poor
posture as they grow,” said Dr. Gart. “Children should carry no more than 15 percent of their body weight
on their backs.”
Wearing a backpack on one shoulder can also cause the child to lean to one side to compensate for the extra
weight and can result in an asymmetrical spine, back pain, and a strained shoulder and neck. In severe cases,
children can develop a condition called “scapular winging,” when the nerve that supplies the shoulder
muscle becomes pinched, causing paralysis.
“If you notice that one of your child’s shoulder blades is not moving or not symmetrical, a doctor should be
consulted immediately,” said Dr. Gart.
To help your child wear backpacks safely, Dr. Gart recommends the following:

1. Wear no more than 15 percent of your body weight. Work with your child to determine how
much weight should be carried in his or her backpack. Weigh each item separately, so that your
child can determine which items should be carried versus what can be left at home.
2. Keep backpack use limited to necessities only. See that your child cleans out his or her backpack
daily by removing any items that can be left at home or in a locker.
3. Use both straps. Make sure that the weight of your child’s backpack is evenly distributed across
the back to promote good posture and to avoid shoulder strain and/or a pinched nerve.
4. Recognize signs that the backpack is too heavy. Pay attention to whether your child is slouched
or leaning to one side when wearing a backpack or is experiencing any type of back pain, tingling or
numbness in the shoulders or arms.
5. Select the proper backpack. Enhance comfort and safety by purchasing a backpack with multiple
compartments, so that weight is more evenly distributed. Padded straps can also help to prevent
straps from cutting into shoulders. Newer backpacks with wheels are also an option, provided that
the handle extends long enough to allow children to stand upright while pulling it. The backpack
and wheels must also be sturdy enough so that it does not topple over.
6. Pick up the backpack properly. Teach your child how to pick up his or her backpack by
demonstrating how to bend at the knees and grasp the pack with both hands before putting it on.
“Kids and parents alike need to remember that while backpacks are a great tool to carry and keep track of
items children need for school, they must be used properly to avoid injuries,” commented Dr. Gart.
Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders is a comprehensive and advanced spine center dedicated to the
evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of all back and spine pain and conditions. Our experts and services are
all available in one convenient location to offer treatment options ranging from non-invasive treatment
measures including physical therapy , physiatry , pain management and alternative medicine to minimally
invasive surgical procedures and full surgical reconstructive techniques.
###
SOURCES: Avrom Gart, M.D., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; American Physical Therapy Association (www.apta.org);
Kidshealth.org

 

[Minnie_me]

My older DD used her Kindergarten backpack for 4 years. It was Gap and really cute and HUGE, and she loved the style, and it was made great and lasted forever! Last year, her best friend gave her a backpack for her birthday, cuz I was gonna make her use the Gap one again - LOL! The new one was from Limited Too. The zipper ripped out within 3 months.

My little DD had a pretty little backpack for Kindie. She's tiny, and fell in love with this smallish backpack (again at Gap!). So we got it, but it just didn't seem right for 1st grade. So she got a new one for 1st, and is using it again this year in 2nd grade.

Backpacks are just too expensive to get new ones each year. And since I'm a teacher and I don't get paid all summer - - I can't shell out all that $$ for something frivolous.

 

[rcraw45425]

My girls are in 5th and 7th grade this year and I got sick and tired of replacing the cheap Target/WalMart ones after a few months due to ripped seams, broken zippers, you name it. This year I spent $70 for a North Face for older DD and $60 for an Under Armour one for younger DD. Both have lifetime warranties, something I am starting to look for in everything. If anything happens to either one they will replace them, no questions asked. One thing I likeabout both of them is they have a clip that keeps the straps together at the chest so it fits properly. DH and I agree that we have reached an age where we figure we should just go ahead and buy quality instead of quantity.

 

[daisyduck123]

Also, for anyone contemplating buying an LL Bean backpack, my suggestion is to wait until mid October if you can. They had a killer sale on backpacks in October 2006, most were at least 50 percent off and some close to 70 percent off.

Ohhhh....is that thru the catalog, online, in the store, or all of the above?

I ask because we got DD's at their Columbia, Md. store & I'll go there & get one in October if the stores put them on sale.

TIA!!

 

[Quasi123]

We buy the backbacks whenever they are needed. Sometimes they last two years but that doesn't happen a lot.

 

[JunieJay]

Ohhhh....is that thru the catalog, online, in the store, or all of the above?

I ask because we got DD's at their Columbia, Md. store & I'll go there & get one in October if the stores put them on sale.

TIA!!

Online only I think. We shop at the one in Columbia, MD too and I never saw any on sale there. I bet they had them in the outlets though, have you ever been to the one that is just over the Bay Bridge? I've got some good deals on outerwear in there, and have seen backpacks and other luggage in there for considerably less than what you'd pay in the Columbia store.

I just looked at my records, it was October 23 that I bought the backpacks last year. Hopefully this year they will repeat the sale. If I see it on one of the deal sites I go to I'll be sure to post about it.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

no, we don't get a new one each year.

either DD isn't that concerned about backpacks or we have brought her up to just accept using something until it NEEDS to be replaced. I put it in the closet at the end of school year - commenting we would put it away until time to use it again this year - and it was no big deal.

first couple years, they wore out sooner than one year - we went for characters or whatever over quality. Last year, we got a better quality backpack in her favorite color and she will re-use it this year. She hasn't had a second thought about it.

I really wish the schools would consider their safety and allow the wheeled backpacks, though. I worry about the weight/back problem thing.....I am not sure it is reasonable to expect them to use both straps when they are off and on so frequently.