Elementary kids and their backpacks?

[raammartin]

Should my 65 pound 10 year old son be carrying a backpack full of books weighing 40-50 pounds??! (I've weighed it) Since the beginning of the school year he's come home nearly daily with a backpack he can hardly carry. I plan to contact the teacher/principal about it. And the school won't allow rolling backpacks. ??

 

[eeyore kelly]

I think backpacking safety standards are 1/3 of body weight.

 

[Marseeya]

I hear ya! Our school allows rolling backpacks, but I seem to remember reading an article that said they're no better for kids than the regular backpacks -- in fact, worse because they're heavier.

Does he need all the books he's bringing home? Sometimes my kids would bring home all their books rather than the ones they needed for just that night. On the other hand, schools are really loading kids down with homework these days. When I was in elementary school, I doubt we had more than one worksheet to take home in a week.

 

[Kimberle]

Actually, I believe the "safe" weight is 10-15% of their body weight. I'd suggest a call to your pedi. Maybe s/he'd be willing to write a letter which you could then forward to your childs teacher/principal.

 

[raammartin]

I think backpacking safety standards are 1/3 of body weight.

I think that's definitely more than 1/3 of his weight!!

 

[golfgal]

Our kids' backpacks are pretty heavy too, although I haven't weighed them. The twins walk and have rolling backpacks. The packs themselves are heavier then plain ones, but they aren't carrying them either. We never had homework in elementary school so we never had to worry about it but these days, they have quite a bit of homework in elementary school.

 

[raammartin]

I hear ya! Our school allows rolling backpacks, but I seem to remember reading an article that said they're no better for kids than the regular backpacks -- in fact, worse because they're heavier.

Does he need all the books he's bringing home? Sometimes my kids would bring home all their books rather than the ones they needed for just that night. On the other hand, schools are really loading kids down with homework these days. When I was in elementary school, I doubt we had more than one worksheet to take home in a week.

Do they mean the rolling backpacks are heavier when they wear them as backpacks?

He actually DOES need all the books he brings home. We use every one of them for his 2-3 hours of homework. And he's in fifth grade. It makes me sad because he has no time for anything else after homework except to eat and take a bath. His bedtime is 8:30 because they have to be up at 6am to catch the 6:30am bus. The bus gets him home by 4:15. The only time he has to play is on the weekends.

 

[raammartin]

Actually, I believe the "safe" weight is 10-15% of their body weight. I'd suggest a call to your pedi. Maybe s/he'd be willing to write a letter which you could then forward to your childs teacher/principal.

That's a really good idea. Thanks! We just took him for a check up last week so I'm sure his pediatrician would do that for us.

 

[Buckalew11]

DH's beast friend is an orthopedic doctor. He has made comments about kids and heavy backpacks and them causing back troubles for children! Not only are they TOO heavy, the kids then don't always carry them correctly to distribute the weight evenly.

I think something should be done but what can you do when he needs the books each night?
DD has a rolling backpack and it is helpful (although it won't fit in her locker!!). Her backpack stay stuffed full each night. And then she also carries a lunchbox and a slingbag full of basketball clothing for practice! Ugh!

I know what you are saying about homework and being a kid. What is it with all the homework they give nowadays? Our school was heavy on homework last year (5th grade) and many parents complained. This year has been SOOOO much better.

And the other thing that makes me wonder is if kids have so much homework these days then when do kids have time to have extra activities after school such as horseback riding, music lessons, sports etc. Seems like kids keep a full schedule of sceduled daily after school activities yet they also have no time to play because of homework...

 

[Marseeya]

Do they mean the rolling backpacks are heavier when they wear them as backpacks?

He actually DOES need all the books he brings home. We use every one of them for his 2-3 hours of homework. And he's in fifth grade. It makes me sad because he has no time for anything else after homework except to eat and take a bath. His bedtime is 8:30 because they have to be up at 6am to catch the 6:30am bus. The bus gets him home by 4:15. The only time he has to play is on the weekends.

The way the article described it, it's not very healthy for them to pull a heavy backpack behind them, plus they can't roll them all the time (like in snowy weather, going up and down stairs, things of that nature). I think I read it in Consumer Reports, but I'm not sure.

I think it's so sad that kids get so much homework. We had a thread on it a while back and people were fairly divided on it.

 

[golfgal]

DH's beast friend is an orthopedic doctor. He has made comments about kids and heavy backpacks and them causing back troubles for children! Not only are they TOO heavy, the kids then don't always carry them correctly to distribute the weight evenly.

I think something should be done but what can you do when he needs the books each night?
DD has a rolling backpack and it is helpful (although it won't fit in her locker!!). Her backpack stay stuffed full each night. And then she also carries a lunchbox and a slingbag full of basketball clothing for practice! Ugh!

I know what you are saying about homework and being a kid. What is it with all the homework they give nowadays? Our school was heavy on homework last year (5th grade) and many parents complained. This year has been SOOOO much better.

And the other thing that makes me wonder is if kids have so much homework these days then when do kids have time to have extra activities after school such as horseback riding, music lessons, sports etc. Seems like kids keep a full schedule of sceduled daily after school activities yet they also have no time to play because of homework...

The kids find time for their activities that was once spent on things like SLEEP and family time.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

ds's backpack is so heavy I'm surprised it hasn't knocked him over yet. He's in 4th grade, about 70lbs. When he gets home from school he hangs it on the back of the dining room table chair and the chairs falls over as soon as he walks away. He needs many of his books for his homework also so he usually brings home 2-3 very heavy books each night. I sometimes have him carry one of his books to try and distribute the weight, his math book is the heaviest, it's about 3 inches thick! On Mondays he has his backpack and his trumpet in the case so those days are usually the worst for him and he has a hard time getting down the bus steps in the afternoon carrying everything.

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

My daughter's school does not allow rolling backpacks either. She has a backpack from the Disney Store and I'm going to weigh it when she gets home. She's only forty pounds, soaking wet and I bet that pack weighs at least half that!

Add to that, my dd tells me (although I never heard this from the school) that her teacher wants her to buy another backpack because the one she has now is too small!!!!

 

[EthansMom]

Just a thought, but could you photocopy your son's books and keep the copies at home so he doesn't have to bring them all home? It might cost a bit of money and be a paid to do, but even if you just photocopy the next few chapters of the heaviest books, it should alleviate some of the problem.

Alternatively, you could purchase an extra copy of the biggest books so that he has them at home.

Good Luck!

 

[Buckalew11]

The kids find time for their activities that was once spent on things like SLEEP and family time.

Oh. Well, that explains why DH (during DD's basketball season) is always walking around here saying "They're cutting into my playtime!!"

Honestly, she has time for homework, practice, dinner and bath. That's it. Of course, she also goes to bed at 8:30 (but not on game nights)
And games nights (which there are 3 nights of this week!) there is less time than that!

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

Get a rolling backpack- much easier. ebags.com has a Jansport hemi which my 7 yo uses.

 

[luvflorida]

Should my 65 pound 10 year old son be carrying a backpack full of books weighing 40-50 pounds??! (I've weighed it)

I would definitely be contacting the teacher, school, or someone about this situation. That must be a lot of very heavy books and his backpack must be huge.

I've posted several threads in the past about heavy backpacks. DD15 is a Sophomore in high school and this has been a problem for a few years now. At the beginning of the year, I weighed her backpack, and it weighed anywhere from 20 to 28 pounds, depending on her classes for that day.
She is about 98 pounds and small for her age and has to carry the backpack around to every class, all day long. She was coming home from school with red marks on her shoulders and a sore back.

To alleviate this problem, I ordered online copies of her heaviest textbooks. A year's subscription for one book was $18. and for another book it was $36. Now she leaves those books at home and takes printed copies to class of the chapters they are working on. On some days, her backpack still weighs more than it should, but this has been a big help.

Like I said, she's 98 pounds and has a hard time carrying around a 20-28 pound backpack on her back. I can't imagine how a 65 pound child can possibly carry around a backpack weighing 40-50 pounds.

 

[Chicago526]

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a backpack should weigh no more than 10 to 20% of the childs total body weight. Here's the full article:

http://www.aap.org/advocacy/backpack_safety.pdf

Backpack Safety

Backpacks are a popular and practical way for children and teenagers to carry schoolbooks and supplies. When used correctly, backpacks can be a good way to carry the necessities of the school day. They are designed to distribute the weight of the load among some of the body’s strongest muscles.

However backpacks that are too heavy or are worn incorrectly can cause problems for children and teenagers. Improperly used backpacks may injure muscles and joints. This can lead to severe back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as posture problems. Share these guidelines to help your family use backpacks safely.

Choose the right backpack. Look for the following:

· Wide, padded shoulder straps – Narrow straps can dig into shoulders. This can cause pain and restrict circulation.

· Two shoulder straps – Backpacks with one shoulder strap that runs across the body cannot distribute weight evenly.

· Padded back – A padded back protects against sharp edges on objects inside the pack and increases comfort.

· Waist strap – A waist strap can distribute the weight of a heavy load more evenly.

· Lightweight backpack – The backpack itself should not add much weight to the load.

· Rolling backpack – This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs. They may be difficult to roll in snow.

To prevent injury when using a backpack, do the following:
· Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain
muscles. Wearing a backpack on one shoulder may increase curvature of the spine.

· Tighten the straps so that the pack is close to the body. The straps should hold the pack two inches above the waist.

· Pack light. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the student’s total body weight.

· Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back.

· Stop often at school lockers, if possible. Do not carry all of the books needed for the day.

· Bend using both knees, when you bend down. Do not bend over at the waist when wearing or lifting a heavy backpack.

· Learn back-strengthening exercises to build up the muscles used to carry a backpack. Ask your pediatrician for advice.

Parents also can help in the following ways:

· Encourage your child or teenager to tell you about pain or discomfort that may be caused by a heavy backpack. Do not ignore any back pain in a child or teenager. Ask your pediatrician for advice.

· Talk to the school about lightening the load. Be sure the school allows students to stop at their lockers throughout the day. Team up with other parents to encourage changes.

· Consider buying a second set of textbooks for your student to keep at home.
The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

 

[tmt martins]

Alternatively, you could purchase an extra copy of the biggest books so that he has them at home.

Good Luck!

Thats what we did after WE paid to have hallways resurfaced they hit us with the no rolling bags.
Even with just the notebooks it heavy.

 

[raammartin]

Thank you all for your comments. If you looked at the textbooks my 5th grader brings home you'd think he were in college. They are huge! He has a social studies book, science book, and math book that he brings home every night. Some nights he also brings a reading book home. All these books are probably 3 inches thick and large. This is not including his notebooks of which he has one three ring binder for each subject. This is also not including anything "extra" he may bring home. We did get him a large backpack this year, thank goodness because he's needed it!

Right now it's nearly 7pm and he's finally done with his homework and eating. He still has to take a shower and then hopefully he'll have some time to do what he wants to before bedtime.

I don't really understand why they bombard the kids with so much homework. I feel like after a while they aren't learning anything. They are just trying to get it done so they can be finished with it. I knew it wasn't going to be a good year when the teachers assigned around two hours of homework on open house night which lasted two hours.