One solution to those heavy school backpacks

[luvflorida]

I posted a thread awhile back about heavy backpacks. DD15, a HS Sophomore, is 4'10" and under a hundred pounds. She was carrying a backpack that weighed between 20 and 24 pounds, depending on which classes she had for that day. She was coming home with red marks on her shoulders, and I am certain it was not doing her back any good either.

There is not enough time to go to her locker between classes, (six minutes between classes and long distances), and there are not enough books at the school for students to leave one at home and have one to use at school. Students must carry their belongings to and from each class, including lunchtime.

So, I went online and discovered that some book companies have websites where you can download entire textbooks. So far, we have done this for her biology book. There is a fee of $15.00, but as far as I'm concerned it's worth every penny. Daughter can print out each chapter as she needs it, and it will lighten her backpack by six pounds. Next up, Geometry and History books, another 10 pounds off her back, literally.

Now, I don't know if this is legal or not, but if I can't find sites for other books, I plan on just using our home copy machine to copy chapters from her textbooks. She'll use them at school, then when she no longer needs them, she can throw them away.

I've talked to her biology teacher and he is fine with her leaving her book at home. In fact, just the other day my daughter said he came up to her in class, looked down at her, (he's quite tall), and asked her how tall she was. When she said she was almost 4'11", (she always says that sounds better than 4'10"!), he said he wouldn't want to carry around her backpack either.

 

[rascalmom]

I have a hs junior taking 2 AP & 2 pre-AP classes, in addition to electives. Those books are huge! What I did was go on-line with the ISBN #'s of the textbooks & bought used copies for her to keep here at home. The cost wasn't too bad & I hope to recoup some of that on EBay at the end of the year. My dd's is very petite - & back problems run in my family. It was worth it to me!

 

[FINFAN]

We have always ordered a second set of books On Amazon.com you can order used textbooks pretty reasonably)...DD is 5'1"...82 lbs. However this year, the problem is in school, as you mentioned...no time to get to their lockers during the day (5 minute passing period)..therefore she is lugging ALL her books ALL day, up and down 3 flights of stairs. On top of that, she is worried about next semester when she has gym. There is a terrible problem with theft from the gym lockers, and DD will not have time to drop her $$$ calculator, wallet etc. in her main locker before gym, so she is so nervous about getting things stolen. It is a nightmare for these kids to lug all this stuff, and then projects etc., I won't even get into the stampede for the bus... One of the other things that drives me crazy is how the kids can't take a moment to socialize or say hi...remember meeting up at your locker in between classes? Setting up plans for later? DD asks why I liked H.S. so much...she just can't relate, their world is so different. :sad2
I hope your DD's back survives....looks like you are getting things worked out!


Pam


Pam:

 

[luvflorida]

We have always ordered a second set of books On Amazon.com you can order used textbooks pretty reasonably)...DD is 5'1"...82 lbs. However this year, the problem is in school, as you mentioned...no time to get to their lockers during the day (5 minute passing period)..therefore she is lugging ALL her books ALL day, up and down 3 flights of stairs. On top of that, she is worried about next semester when she has gym. There is a terrible problem with theft from the gym lockers, and DD will not have time to drop her $$$ calculator, wallet etc. in her main locker before gym, so she is so nervous about getting things stolen. It is a nightmare for these kids to lug all this stuff, and then projects etc., I won't even get into the stampede for the bus... One of the other things that drives me crazy is how the kids can't take a moment to socialize or say hi...remember meeting up at your locker in between classes? Setting up plans for later? DD asks why I liked H.S. so much...she just can't relate, their world is so different. :sad2
I hope your DD's back survives....looks like you are getting things worked out!


Pam


Pam:

Thanks! I know what you mean about all the pressure in high school now. I just don't remember, (and yes, it's been a lonnnggggg time since I've been in high school!), having to do deal with half the things kids face today.

I like the idea of ordering other textbooks to have at home, but not every teacher is okay with students leaving books in their classrooms. One teacher told my daughter that he couldn't be responsible if she left her textbook in his room and something happened to it. I can understand where he is coming from, so I'm hoping my copying pages and sending those in will work.