Those with school aged children

[RaryGirl]

For those with children 10+ ..... Do you check your children's school bag everyday?

I feel that DD is now 12, she should have the responsibility of looking after her processions and ensure she is prepared for the day ahead at school. So I don't check her bag. She has to bring her lunchbox out every afternoon and knows to give me notes etc.

But this morning her bag looked very full, so I asked her to bring it to me.

I nearly puked when I opened it. :(

She told me she loved Camembert cheese, so I splurged and bought her some to have in her lunchbox. Well she must have decided that she didn't like it after all and instead of throwing it out at school, she just threw it into the bottom of her bag. :( It was mushed into her bag, into library books and her school diary. The smell, it was vile!

So what I want to know, is it my fault for not checking her bag every afternoon or is she at an age where she should be looking after her own things?

I honestly don't get the whole stashing food in your bag thing ... I never did it - ever. I'm not a naturally tidy person, I have to work hard to keep everything tidy, but even I've never stashed food underbeds, in bags, etc. I don't know what to do with her, this isn't the first time ... but I thought by now, at 12 she would have grown up a bit. :unsure:

[~Candy~]

It's my kids job in the arvo to put their lunch box and water bottle on the kitchen bench and to bring me all the notices.....
Well, I DO go through my 2 older kids bags once a week and I always find notices/newsletters Grrrrrr

Only once I've found leftover lunch in my dd's bag and that was during the school holidays so it was :barf:

[~Bec~]

I obviously don't have school age children but when my Mum found a food wrapper in my room one day she was so cranky at me and told me that it would attract cockroaches, mice and rats if I left food lying around. The thought of having mice or rats in my bedroom scared the bejezzes (sp?) out of me and I never did it again.

[nothanksbye]

I would remind her, but not check it.

It would also be her job to clean it all.

[smog]

my dd is 12 and no i dont do it, its her job now. at the end of each term i do ask her to make sure and i double check it as it wont be used again till after hols. once or twice ive busted her with something yucky and stinky in there, ive tried to explain to her its better to just chuck it. she wont be in trouble for that but will be in trouble for stashing it bottom of her bag. seems to be working.

[loving6]

No I don't check bags after Gr1. I don't go home and get stuff that's been left behind. I don't carry kids school ports either. I'm a Meany mum.:laughing:

I have two kids that have given me that school bag surprise more than once. :barf::barf::barf:
The first time I've made the mistake of cleaning the bag for them. Now I give them a plastic shopping bag to take to school and make them clean it themselves (under close supervision) that afternoon. That seem to have helped.

[RaryGirl]

I obviously don't have school age children but when my Mum found a food wrapper in my room one day she was so cranky at me and told me that it would attract cockroaches, mice and rats if I left food lying around. The thought of having mice or rats in my bedroom scared the bejezzes (sp?) out of me and I never did it again.

My DD seems to not care about any of that :no: I've told her that before and it makes no difference ... sigh.

I don't know what to do ... I can't baby her forever, but I can't deal with rotting food being stashed like that again. :barf:

[RaryGirl]

No I don't check bags after Gr1. I don't go home and get stuff that's been left behind. I don't carry kids school ports either. I'm a Meany mum.:laughing:

I have two kids that have given me that school bag surprise more than once. :barf::barf::barf:
The first time I've made the mistake of cleaning the bag for them. Now I give them a plastic shopping bag to take to school and make them clean it themselves (under close supervision) that afternoon. That seem to have helped.

OMG ... a Mum like me! I also don't do a second school run for stuff that has been forgotten either!

I got told I was mean and horrible for making her clean it up herself. And DH wanted to send her with a plastic bag today ... but I relented and she took a 'green' bag instead. :p

[CJJHRA]

as we walk in the door, I tell the kids, lunch boxes, drink bottles on the bench, check for notes, get changed... they walk right past the bench, some forget... 30 mins later after they have grabbed a snack, I remind them AGAIN to put their stuff on the bench and check for notes, then 1hour later ask them if they have homework, and again 30 mins before bed!! lol

[fozzie]

No I don't check bags after Gr1. I don't go home and get stuff that's been left behind. I don't carry kids school ports either. I'm a Meany mum.:laughing:

I have two kids that have given me that school bag surprise more than once. :barf:
The first time I've made the mistake of cleaning the bag for them. Now I give them a plastic shopping bag to take to school and make them clean it themselves (under close supervision) that afternoon. That seem to have helped.

I'm a meany Mum too then. :D


as we walk in the door, I tell the kids, lunch boxes, drink bottles on the bench, check for notes, get changed... they walk right past the bench, some forget... 30 mins later after they have grabbed a snack, I remind them AGAIN to put their stuff on the bench and check for notes, then 1hour later ask them if they have homework, and again 30 mins before bed!! lol

:yes: That's what I do too. Drives me batty.:hair:

[sandy cheeks]

I will check it till they leave school lol
I was hopeless, my brother is hopeless chances are so will my kids and no matter how many times I tell them or make them clean their own bags (which they will more than likely do a half baked job just as I did) they will still forget food, newsletters and party invites. So for me it's just less stressful if I do it (thank god I wont have to do the locker).

[InSaneOne]

i don't check bags but then i don't make lunches either. when the skids were younger and staying with us during school they had to bring their lunch boxes to me to wash up before bed. if they stashed food in their bag they had to clean it themselves.

i have noticed with my 4 year old and kindy that if i pack something in her lunch that she doesn't eat (usually something every day) she gives it to me in the afternoon. i am lucky that all her food stays in her lunch box tho.

maybe you can make sure your dd has a small rubbish bin in her room that she can put "rubbish" in and empty it herself every week. i'd say she didn't want to upset you that she didn't like the treat you got her. i would make her clean out the bag herself tho.

[A Party of Five]

As soon as we get home I tell them to take out the lunch boxes, drink bottles, homework bag and check if there are any newsletters for me and to go get changed. So doing it this way we don't get any nasty surprises in the school bags :yes:

[Josh]

I only have 1 child currently at school over 10 and he's a 14 yr old boy so needless to say I am too scared to actually look in his bag because I am not prepared for what could be in it IYKWIM:yes: but I also have 4 kids below 10 who go to school and I do check their bags frequently, so I didn't pick any of the choices:o

[RaryGirl]

lol ... I can understand your fear of the 14 year olds school bag :laughing: