Sunday - Day 161 - jumbo golden pencils

Today was the day I knew I was the mom of a kindergartener.  It was a little mind blowing and I knew there was no turning back.   

I was standing in the school supply aisle of Target, a little overwhelmed and stunned at the stores' activity.  The only thing that dragged me into the store was my 5% card savings and the last day of Florida's "no tax weekend".  Here I stood, a long supply list in hand, wondering how mothers cope each year. 

Does James really need 10 glue sticks and 4 boxes of crayons?  I wasn't so sure, but each item was dropped in the cart, the entire ritual not as easy as it would seem.  

A lot of items were sold out and a trip to Walmart would be next to completely check off each supply item on the list.  At one point, I spoke aloud, "How do families struggling financially do this every year?" Another mom, overheard me and agreed my question was a good one. 

I spoke to another mom of a second grader from the same school James will be attending.  She enlightened me just a bit.  I learned many of the supplies being bought were pooled for the entire classroom to use.  Don't mark anything with his name, she easily let me know.  Parents are obviously subsidizing tight school supply budgets, this fact somehow did not surprise me. 

The long lists may change for parents year to year, but the supplies for each grade stayed the same and the teachers receive a ton of supplies to begin each year.  The informative mother also told me, there is a second 'wish list' the teachers will pass out with different supplies not on my current list.  I found this interesting.  Maybe I should wait for the wish list next year. 

The entire experience made me wonder, "When did back to school shopping become such a huge, obligatory mayhem of purchasing?"  I thought writing a check would make more sense, allowing the school to purchase items whole sale.  The entire circus seemed highly counter productive, at least in my opinion.  

I can remember buying school supplies as a kid, but we did not have lengthy lists with 10 items of one thing and 5 of another.  We bought basic #2 pencils, colorful folders and three ring binders for our personal use.  As I got older, hardcover book protectors were all the rage.  Today, we have folders and binders in all colors, textures and sizes, numerous coloring tools and mechanical writing devices.  Lunch bags and cases in all styles, shapes and characters.   It's a bit comical what kids think they need to get through a school year.  

Yet, with all the other moms, I too,'did my duty and filled a brand new backpack with all sorts of shiny new school supplies.  I followed suit with all my internal struggles, wondering how it all twisted out of control. 

James' supplies - year one.

The one item I did not purchase was a "jumbo, my first beginner pencil".  I suppose Walmart and Target did not get the memo to stock up on these important little gems.  Maybe oversized pencils weren't on 'the list' last year.  Were the top purchasing executives unaware these hot little numbers would be flying off the shelves?  I bet next year there'll be a surplus.  

I saw these pencils on the shelves only a month ago and I wondered if I'd ever need to buy one.  I thought, "How fun, extra fat pencils for little hands."  If I had only known, as the mom of a kindergartener, I would need a jumbo beginners pencil, qty 2.  It was like mining for gold in the school supply world, the one I found myself digging through today.