What's Needed for First Grade?

[Pursuivant]

What should ideally be in her locker area?

Do they have lockers these days? Everything left in the halls gets nicked - or might get nicked.

The kids want to wear what everyone else is wearing and although I haven't a clue

Ha, seems it hasn't changed in 30 odd years. Its funny how "mom-bought-clothes" suddenly find being holed by random battery acid rain

[Pursuivant]

I've never seen any lockers in any grade schools I've been to, the poly had a few odd ones and the vocational has a cubbies for work clothes. The one up here thats "ala-aste" doesn't have any, only those coathangers lining the halls.

[Rosamunda]

My kids have had lockers since ala-aste but not in primary school. Primary school is just bags on pegs and then anarchy on the floor: socks, boots, slippers, gloves, hats.... I used to put name tags on everything. But I think girls are generally more careful than boys at looking after their stuff. Boys' gloves, pipos etc all look the same.

Yes, they are not allowed to walk around school in their outdoor shoes. Especially during winter months. I supplied trainers for my kids but I am pretty sure they walked around in socks all day. It cost me a fortune in new socks and I could never get them clean.

Yes, things do get pinched. Especially nice new things (like new snow pants, sports shoes etc)... I suspect adults rather than the kids themselves. It is pretty easy to walk into a school, pick up stuff and then sell it at a fleamarket or on huuto. I told my kids to bring everything home ie: not leave winter gear or PE kit at school.

[Rosamunda]

Yes, I have similar stories. Which is why I persisted in indelibly marking the better gear. I could understand "losing" stuff in Hungary (I never retrieved anything the boys forgot on the school bus for exemple) but it surprised me here. I know for sure there are some families who can't make ends meet but it is pretty easy to get really good secondhand stuff from UFF, Fida and all the fleamarkets. So I think people are stealing stuff and selling it for cash (as you suggest) rather than stealing it to use it out of dire necessity.

Most schools have lost and found storage which you can rummage through regularly. I found a few orphaned gloves that way. But it is not a particularly pleasant process going through it all

[Xochiquetzal]

Good to know about the things walking off. Something else to tick off on the mental list :/

The 7 year old's so excited right now, I think she's going to spontaneously combust. Pity it's another month

[Pursuivant]

which is - their mommy is mental - and all that gets some serious SCD!!!