Does anyone else find it weird that your child doesnt get to keep the school supplies they bring? my daughter was so excited to pick out cute things and come to find out she had to turn everything in to her teacher and got to keep nothing and now she is upset about it
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Does anyone else find it weird kids cannot keep their school supplies?
I can understand the list of things they ask for donations. But not personal items, I’d go and demand them back.
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I’ve never had a teacher keep the school supplies I’ve purchased for my kids.
Call the teacher.
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that’s just Odd. They can Ask For donations but can’t Take personal stuff. I never had This problem
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We don’t do this is the UK, we can buy our own of wanted but its not essential and I deffo wouldn’t be handing them in! I’d encourage her to share if another kid had nothing and she had spare but I wouldn’t make her hand them all over to the teacher to share between everyone 
My first graders class is like this… they have their own scissors but all the glue sticks, markers, crayons, pencils are donated and used by the entire class. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. It seems like it would be easier for the teacher to distribute and collect them as they use them in class.
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We never allowed her to turn in her supplies. If the teacher ask me to buy supplies for the class I would buy pencils crayons etc. but I will not make my daughter turn her stuff she picked in for every one to use. We homeschool now so it is no longer an issue but she did K-5 in brick and mortar school and thats what I did.
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Yeah I’ve had teachers do that but I tell my kids keep their cool stuff and just donate couple other things… they try to make it fair and then divide it up to class but to me that’s not right when we paid good money for the cute stuff! Tell your daughter keep hers let the teacher know that’s for her not the class and ask what you could donate. Some kids are less fortunate and have no supplies so I think that’s why they do that now.
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I would be mad like sure if the teacher ask for help with school supplies then I would gladly help but stuff mt child picked out for her self is not for the whole class I would go demand the stuff back
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I tell the teachers that my daughter is to be the only one that uses the school supplies that she brings with her. I use Covid as in excuse. I’ve always hated that.
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I was always told that it’s for everyone to use and also helps the kids who couldn’t afford supplies not feel left out. I don’t know if that’s what they say now. My youngest is now in high-school I will say after elementary he had his own supplies I’d imagine it’s just easier to keep them all together too so the Littles don’t loose em. I however am not a fan of it for your very statement.
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I would speak to the teacher incase there was a miscommunication like she had to place her things in a certain spot rather than at her desk.
I have no problem sharing supplies. Some things are her own and they specify what item.
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The school provided school supplies this year, but I gave my daughter one of my Rugrats notebooks. She was a little upset that she didn’t get to pick out her own stuff. I get it, that’s one of the best part of the school year.
Yes! It makes me upset and my kids
Yeah I was asked to take my son’s pencils home and replace them because I had written little messages to him on them. She said it was because all supplies were for communal use… I think it’s absolute crap. Add donation’s to the supply list and I’ll gladly drop those off.
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That is mean I would be over to the school why this is tell them they can not do that to the children then start rising hell n she get broad of education in the class room
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It wasn’t like this with my older 3 kids , when they were younger, they kept what they brought… so now I get my youngest (& last🤣) her cute stuff, but hit up the sales for the donation bucket at school… for instance I got a 30pk glue sticks for $6 ! , I’ll keep like 5 and send the rest with her to school, but I do put her name on HER THINGS❤️
They always ask for an abundance and take it all and end up throwing most of it away at the end of the year. I buy the bare minimum because of this reason and only buy personal stuff I know they will get to keep
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The teacher at our school takes it and bins it in my kid’s bin to control usage and loss.
That is common where I live. Has been that way for years. So anything special my kids wanted went into a pencil bag every else went into the classroom pot. Basically you are supplying for the kids whose parents do not send anything but enough sometimes comes in to supply the entire class for little more than half the year the teachers buy a lot out of pocket and the schools supply some
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That’s theft!!! She comes home with what she went with!!! Get off Facebook go to the school get them back!!!
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Could it be that the teacher is making sure that child has it each day and that is the reason why she is taking it. How many children have put their crayons or their scissors pencils glue in their book bag takes it home and then they don’t have it for the next day probably just the teachers way of making sure it stays at school where it belongs. Most important thing is that it is at school where the child needs it.
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Wait what??? Kids aren’t allowed to keep their own notebooks and pens and stuff anymore??
Agreed. Do not like this. Children need to learn to keep track of their things… and if they love them… it helps. It was explained to me before and explanation was good… but now I forget… and still urks me… lol
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My son keeps all his stuff and the teacher will ask for extra stuff for the classroom.
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Schools take away individualism in order to produce good employees.
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That’s weird. Our schools don’t do that. Except for like the obviously shared items (Kleenex, germ-x, etc)
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I’d be so ticked if my kid was doing art with some crappy rose art crayons when I spend the extra 10 cents on crayola lol 
there’s a difference and it would make me mad big time
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Lots of teachers permit you to provide both, and are simply asking to even the board for the class as a unit and promote sharing and friendship among younger age groups. She has her entire life, wardrobe and multitudes of ways to be different and true to herself, I think plain pencils or shared crayons are probably a fine sacrifice to make for the blessing of kind and thoughtful humans. She may be upset but sounds like she’s lucky to have a Mom who jumped into action to support her so quickly.
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Our school district doesn’t do this. Kids get their own school supplies and bring them back and forth daily. They do ask for a few extra donations at the end of the list and we always try to send at least a few extra things for common use but with COVID they aren’t supposed to share literally anything…but pre COVID it was no different.
Yes, it has happened with my daughter. I started writing her name on everything. I had friend mention this on Facebook last week. She bought bought the name brand, good items and her daughter ended up with the cheap stuff she said.
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Boy am I glad this was NEVER the case when my kids were in elementary school bcuz I would of went toe to toe! Thatll be damn day Im gonna have some schmuck tell me my kids cant keep what I bought for them/they picked out! Yes they used to nag about sending in kleenex n hand sanitizer bcuz in winter cold weather & snow brought on many colds & such I get that but still- every kid SHOULD be able to keep their own stuff & for the kids whose parents are unable to get all their kids need etc that I can understand the teacher trying to get extra to help these kids out but to DEMAND SAY ITS MANDATORY??!! Ya NO I DISagree!! They should NOT have the right to take things away!
Most schools do because not all kids can afford school supplies and they usually use everything shared that way no kid is left out. Unfortunately children do not get to pick their families and they do not get to pick their financial situation and the kids should not have to suffer based off of their parents financial situation it’s kind for all kids to be able to share all school supplies with all different brands I remember one year when I was little I had to buy the generic brand of stuff and I hated the way everything would color it was embarrassing that I got made fun of and I feel like if this would’ve been a thing when I was a child it would’ve saved me a lot of teasing and I’m sure that goes for a lot of people
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Ooooh yes BE MAD. My teachers did this when I was in elementary school and I HATED it because I always had super cute stuff. I didn’t like looking over and seeing someone else using MY Lisa Frank items and my pink scissors 
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They do that at my kids school they have to share with other kids
What? This is a thing? Why don’t they just send it home with a note to keep it at home?
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It sounds like a miss communication. Teachers send a list of needed items to turn in so they can all be shared. Just email her ask what happened
I would be MAD….if I want to spend extra on better supplies my child should be able to use them
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Whoa. They don’t do that at my daughter’s school. She gets to use all the stuff we buy her. The teacher sends a list home with the items the classroom needs and we buy those and contribute to the classroom materials.
That why I write her name in permanent marker on everything but I also make mine get the basics because of that exact reason
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in most schools they do this, just always stick to the supply list you are given and only buy cute stuff for use at home
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I wonder sometimes how much of this stuff our kids actually use
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Yeah that wouldn’t fly with me at all. My daughter would keep the stuff she picked out and I’ll donate some extra. Idc if the teacher thought I was being difficult. She should be able to pick cute stuff she wants to use at school and it be hers.
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Never heard of such a thing. The only stuff shared when my kids were in school was hand sanitizer and tissues that went to the teacher to store and bring out as needed to supply for the whole class
I mean, it’s always been that way… from now on just buy basic items
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They do this at my kids school and it’s the same elementary school I attended and they did not do this when I was a kid.
When I was a kid at this elementary school, We did not share supplies.
Now my daughter is 5 and going into k5 this year and last year for k4 we had to put her items into shared bins. I also noticed that the teachers were very brand specific and made sure to communicate the better brands.
I also noticed at the end of the year my daughter got NOTHING back. She is an avid arts and crafts person and that could’ve just been extra stuff over the summer.
If they’re sharing and stuff that’s fine but I know that 2 boxes of markers and 2 boxes of crayons will last my child more than the school year and I don’t want to waste money on buying safety scissors every year and all of that.
Just give me some stuff back because I know she would’ve had it if she was left in charge. She’s very good with her art items at home and I’m not trying to spend money on repeat items.
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I’d be going in and taking my kids stuff back 
It’s not your responsibility to fund every other child.
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I label everything !
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When I was in school we had our own supplies my kids go to the same school I did and k-5 they buy supplies for the class I understand why they do it. For those parents who can’t afford supplies don’t get singled out but it also opens the doors for the parents who say screw it and won’t buy supplies as the other families will it’s a catch 22.
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I would lose my 
I would say something to the teacher and say that I was not informed they would have to turn things in and I bought these specifically for my daughter
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Here they putthe supplies in closet for everyone to have so those kids that the parents can’t afford it has the supplies they need
I bought everything on the list and enough for 10 more kids also (or to be donated to the entire class) it’s for the kids, for all of them, some bring it, some don’t and some donate just because, it’s “stuff”. I would just buy the special things to keep at home for homework.
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I literally brought the basic stuff. Even took the crayons, pencils, glue sticks, scissors, and pencil sharpener out of the packaging and they still took them!!
One year when my 12 year old was in elementary I brought her 5 or 6 5 star plastic prong/pocket folders and on the first day she came home with a cheap paper folder and and all her 5 star folders were taken. I was very upset!!
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Oh wow ummm no. My kids use the school supplies I buy them. If she picked out cute personal stuff I’d be going and getting it personally
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That’s why I write my kids name on all of his stuff. The stuff I buy is for my child and to be used by him.
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If I was to buy pencils, textas rubbers etc on a list then yeah that’s supply.
But if I was to buy extras for my daughter to use I would name them an ask the teacher for them back in her own pencil case… if they are in young classrooms I would just leave the special supply at home for her to use because usually young classes share all items.
My kids go to a super small school and we live in a very rural low income area. So most supplies are supplied by the school. However, I am in close communication with teachers and staff at school. So I tend to send in “extra” if I know that there are kids in my kids classes that are in need. Like I’ll send a gift card in for the teacher to go buy extra supplies for those kids. Or during the book fair or Santa’s workshop, I’ll send in an extra $15 for the kids who can’t afford to bring anything.
I don’t mind my kids supplies being shared among the class. And I don’t mind sending in extra for the kids who have to go without. I was the kid in hand me downs using a 4 year old backpack with holes in it. I know what it’s like to be “that kid”. And I’m here to teach my kids about helping those not as blessed to get the full educational experience they deserve. It’s not the kids fault their parents are struggling.
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Wait do you mean like stuff you had to pay for?
I really don’t mind it. I just buy basic stuff and don’t mind that they help other kids out that don’t have any school supplies. I think it’s actually a very good idea…
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Nope!! Id march to her classroom and demand my supplies back. They should have let parents know that they take them. Public school many many many teachers are mostly Far left and are going the socialist way
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Depends on school most high school children have to supply their own stationery etc. In primary its not encouraged as some children can afford nice fancy items, other parents can’t afford. Kids are encouraged to bring in stuff that can be shared around class
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I didn’t mind, less to keep track off and less likely for items to be lost if it’s all staying at school.
yes, it makes school shopping suck now. I used to love shopping for cute things.
We aren’t aloud to buy outside of the school we get a stationary box that is a ridiculous amount. And that gets handed to the teacher I questioned it but was looked at like a horrible cow
Was there a list ? Last years list at my daughters school was just donations and no personal items , this year there was a list for personal items and donations. I don’t mind the sharing , I buy everything on the list plus more. I don’t mind spending a little more so a child doesn’t go without. If your daughter is really upset about her stuff go and ask for them back but keep them at home and follow or ask for a list next year so there’s no confusion.
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Yes! My daughter is going into kindergarten and was so excited to pick out everything. I had no idea I had to turn everything in. She was very disappointed
I have never heard of that (not saying it’s not a thing, just stating I don’t know of anywhere that does it) and that definitely would not be okay with me. My kids have a supply list of things they need yes, but it’s theirs to use and keep. Definitely weird IMO and most definitely wouldn’t be okay with me
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Our school let us know that its all community supplies with the exception of pencil bag/headphones/flash drive, so i dont get anything “fancy”
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They turn in everything to teachers…except scissors, most of the time! Most of what you buy, They are shared! I bought the actual things on the list bc i knew they were! Then, bought what they wanted to keep in their box!
And this why the $3 little unicorn notebook is a waste. 
it’s ALWAYS been a “all supplies go into cabinet” thing.
Pencil box.and ish didn’t. But I don’t think kids should have character notebooks and such anyways
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The only thing I would be upset about is special cute folders and crap. Crayons glue etc I realize will probably be shared. My boys had a few special pencils I asked not to be shared because their aunt had their names custom on them
Id be pissed, fair enough if it was school supplied but if you paid for them your child should take it home.
Must be a new age thing this never happened when i went through school
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It was the same with my oldest son 24 years ago when he went to elementary school. I was surprised to find out at first too.
My kids school supplies everything to them except their backpacks.
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Yes I get other kids don’t get school supplies a lot but they really should come up with a better system my son didn’t want to share his and wanted me to write his name on them 
Nope. I do not allow this. Thick black marker with their name and tell the teacher it’s not gonna happen. I donate plenty but their stuff is theirs. I am that parent and I do not care
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What?
That must be a special school cause no! There’s a school supply list including shareable items like tissues, paper towels, hand sanitizer etc.
But I don’t see me appreciating my child’s personal stationary items being taken away completely. That’s different.
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Doesn’t happen in England, the child keeps all of the stationery.
It stays at school in their desk and brings some of it home. At least for my children that’s the way it is.
That’s how it is at the districts where I live
Whaaat… I told mine not to share it… don’t need to spread germs.
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What grade is she in? A lot of elementary aged classes compose a school supply list and collect items from each individual for the entire class to use throughout the year. Like paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, and folders. It’s not uncommon.
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This is only a thing in the first few years. I haven’t bought class supplies since 1st grade, and my oldest just started 6th this year. Outside of the 2 boxes of tissues, his supplies are his to keep. Do I think teachers should be more transparent to the “shared supplies” lists? Yes, it would help avoid situations like this.
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If you bought the supplies they are your child’s supplies. I would go to the school and demand my things back. You work hard to provide for your children. They don’t get to keep what you paid for. Big fat NOPE!
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Wow! Absolutely not. I understand like crayons and pencils maybe but folders and pencil cases and that stuff absolutely not!
I put my kids names everything note bookes folders everything !
never heard of such a thing
Yes! I hate it! Makes kids not allowed to have any individuality. My daughter’s school requires ticonderoga pencils. She’s a little extra so I found her these metallic/holographic ones… and get to kindergarten meet the teacher… in the collective bin they went 
No. It cuts down in fighting over things and bullying.
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I find it weird. For EXAMPLE- MY 4 YR OLD daughter’s teacher requested two composition notebooks and two packs of 24 crayons, after I just sent a book bag full of supplies, I don’t get it but whatever
It’s sad how many parents tell their kids not to share and are teaching selfishness. Smh.
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It’s expensive to have to buy extra for others when we’re all just trying to survive.
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We get a list of stuff for our kids and then a shareable list. I put my kids names on all of their things and one of each of the shareable (like 1 out of 2 boxes of crayons) I understand that some parents don’t buy their kids school supplies at all or can’t buy it so I would prefer my kids to be willing to share but I also want them to have stuff they like. And when I order off of Amazon and it comes in bundles for cheaper, sometimes I’ll have extra supplies so I just send it in for the teachers to use for the kids in need.
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Primary schools in Australia have everything supplied. Therefore all have the same but stays in the own packs and are put in where their ports are
My kids aren’t allowed to keep theirs either and when they bring homework home and need their crayons or pencils they are not allowed to bring them home so I have to buy supplies for school and my house
I buy what is needed. They do put extras together for throughout the year. My kids get folders notebooks and their pencil box. I sent see an issue sharing supplies. But the pencil box, folders,binders snd notebooks should be theirs. Which they are. I keep extra st home incase they need a refill. I sent too many notebooks with my oldest her teacher kept them In case through the year some one needs them. Not a big deal.
My kids get to keep everything I buy for them. I understand some parents can’t afford stuff there kids may find cool and stuff but it’s not my job to came sure those kids have that stuff
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Our school provides all school supplies, we get a small list like headphones, colored pencils and then tissues or something which is optional, everything else is provided