.png)
.png)
This is the first year that I am involved in Back to School Shopping. I am a bit blur.
I saw some school uniforms going for around RM20.90 (just for the pinafore) and got my girl to try it but the material didn't look very fantastic. Then I went to another shop which had very nice cotton material and had better workmanship but that cost RM34.90. Wow! Quite a big price difference. The white blouse cost RM21.90.
Everyone advised us to get bigger sizes so in the end, the girl looks a bit sloppy but we got the big sets anyway hoping that she will grow into them. We got 3 sets each. Hope that will be enough turnover time for it to be washed, dried and ironed daily.
Then we got shoes and socks for both the boy and the girl. We sure had a hard time deciding on the right size as well. However the girl and the boy had a good time prancing around the shoe store. The shoes cost about RM25 each and the socks around RM6 each. *Seeing money flying out the window*
We got the boy a tumbler since the girl already has one. We haven't got them stationaries yet. Will probably get those cheap sets that comes in bulk since they keep on losing them! Sigh! No matter how much I scold, nag, persuade, inform, teach, tell my girl. She still comes home with missing pencils and erasers.
Then I went to have a look at the school bags. Now this is a area that I am blur upon. I keep reading that the books are very heavy so I see the kids having this pull along roller bags like the ones you take for long distance travelling in an airport. Should I get one of those? It'll surely be hard to navigate along stairways wouldn't it? I saw those pink pink Princess, Dora types and it cost RM130! *faints*
Do the schools allow children to carry those? Can the children carry anything they like or are there some rules and regulations they must follow when it comes to school bags? What if it becomes the envy of friends etc? So many issues to think about. In the end, I left the bags because I didn't know what to buy. Can any experienced mums please share?
Throughout kindy, I let my girl carry the schoolbag provided by the kindy. Some of her friends carried fancy bags but I didn't get her one. I got her to do some of her own name tags etc to decorate her own bag and she was fine with that. Now the school does not provide bags so I have to get her one of her own but I don't know what to buy. Please help?
Have you done your back to school shopping yet? I decided to do mine early so that I don't have to rush as soon we will need to do Christmas Gift shopping and then Chinese New Year Shopping for new clothing. Is there any back to school items that I have left out?
Monday, November 24, 2008
.png)
You so fast do school shopping! Me still not yet...
ReplyDeletesch uniform I will DIY since I already bought the material, will do slightly bigger size too.
my headache is school bag, still dunno what is the best size for primary 1. My girl keep asking for trolley bag but this kind of bag already heavy by itself. Experienced SIL#1 advice me dun buy trolley bag too.
next year will be another busy year for us ya!
Jesslyn,
ReplyDeleteI wish I could sew too. Its a good and useful talent to have. :)
Yah, my headache is the school bag too. I have no idea what to get.
Next year, I have one going to primary and one going to kindy. Have to tear myself into two during the first week of school. Still haven't decided how to manage it. I thought that I would send the one to kindy only on the second week lah. Since the first week, all the kids do is cry, mostly. hahaha.
My girl also asked for trolley bag since she equates this bag to "big" school.
ReplyDeletewe yet go for the shopping, but I can see my money flying away...all have to x2, and this is the time I regret never learn proper sewing from my mom...
ReplyDeletetalk about the school bag, consider the Dora cost RM130+- a small case, because I saw one "Orthopedic Spinal Protection System (OSPS)" cost RM299!!!!
I better install a retrieve gadget on this bag if I get one for my gals, RM299...wait until my salary go 5 figure a month.
and my handbag cost RM29.90 only...
ReplyDeletetwinsmom,
ReplyDeleteWuah. Got Orthopedic Spinal Protection System sumore! RM299 X 2. *pengsan liao* No wonder our handbag can only afford RM29.90 only after that. Hahaha.
Reading all your friends' comments...seems it was an expensive shopping spree ! Have you ever been wondered how difficult to start school for other kids that wasn't SO LUCKY like ours ? Here the government doesn't do anything serious to them :(
ReplyDeleteWow, you are fast to do the school shopping, I think I will buy the pinafores (3 sets too) this Thurs after getting the school books for the Pri 1.For shoes, I think I will get it (2 pairs also) the last week of Dec 08. For school bag, I think I will get the Swan brand which only cost less than Rm100.My experienced elder brother said dun buy the Barbie and cartoons trolley bags coz not so good quality and my niece is using the Smiley brand one.
ReplyDeletehenny,
ReplyDeleteYes, I think about that too. Going to school is not cheap and everything else too. :(
Princess Geraldine's mummy,
Oh. How do you know what books to buy for Pri 1 and where do you buy them from. Don't you get those from the school book shop. Aren't they books free from school or are those too poor in quality? Hmm... Books. Thats another thing I hadn't thought about. Help.
Your post came to me as a gentle reminder that my DH and I had not started doing our back-to-school shopping for our elder boy (yeah, we are the first-timers, too).
ReplyDeleteI began harrassing my DH (since 7pm) about it and finally we have made up our mind that we'll try to kau-tim the school uniforms, shoes, books and stationery this weekend.
Like you, we are also rather lost when it comes to deciding which type of bag is suitable for a Yr 1 kid.
Will come back to this site to check on the comments from other experienced mommies (or daddies) about the bag issue :D
The roller bags are too heavy and clumsy for a small child to haul to an upstairs classroom.
ReplyDeleteEven on flat ground, they tend to tip over or go out of balance when your child has to roll them over drains, steps or bumps.
Remember also that small kids tend to run and push once the bell rings so they'll be tripping all over themselves and other kids' bags.
TO me, orthopedic bags are just a gimmick. The bags, when loaded with books, are soooo heavy orthopedics doesn't even have a chance LOL???
Hope this helps. Have fun, first week of school should be exciting :)
Hi, Mumsgather.
ReplyDeleteThe school sent us a book list(together with a letter to inform us for the orientation for Std 1) to buy at the school bookshop this week...a few textbooks,activity and revision books and some stationeries too. And they will provide the other textbooks that are not listed in the book list.
hahaha....I was also thinking "didnt the school hols just start?"
ReplyDeleteBut good to buy and get it out of the way too. Not like the price will go down anymore or you will find better deals anyway!
Ling,
ReplyDeleteI think there is less stress in trying to kau tim it early. No need to rush later. Now that I've got the uniforms, I have more time to wash it out, iron it and alter the belt which doesn't fit.
clair,
Thanks for the tips.
Princess Geraldine's Mum,
Oh, in my girl's school, they gave us a form some time back informing us of the orientation which is just before school starts and nothing else. I guess we'll have to queue up during orientation to get the books then.
Ann,
We'd have to get them anyway, so why wait till last minute? There's a thousand and one other things to do. We're always busy so better to get these things out of the way and out of mind. Otherwise its just another thing on my todo list bugging me. Hehe.
School uniforms and stuff are expensive here in Klang Valley. I haven't bought mine. My sista bought 5 sets of pants, blouses, singlets and socks for his son, total RM90 in hometown, here i think will go way beyond RM100 liao. If I remember correctly, his blue pant is only RM10 each. Go back buy in hometown is cheaper.
ReplyDeleteMine asked for trolley bag since the begining this year. I will not buy for her. But she's lucky cause my colleague gave me 2 from her daughter - quite new. I have washed the Barbie ones for her, the Madagascar one still sitting under my table.
I have doubt on the trolley bag, difficult to go up the stairs and may get sangkut in hole on the floor. Let her try lar, if she finds it difficult then give up lor... i start to worry liao, since she so small size. The bag will carry her.
Annie,
ReplyDelete"The bag will carry her."
lol. But kesian hor.
My girl also thin type. So I am worried that the heavy bag will be bad for their little developing backs and spines but everyone seems to be against trolley bags wor. I think I will wait until after first week of school first to get some idea of what to get. Meantime I use some handme downs first but they are very very small sure not enough for the books.
Have not done anything yet, abit worried but for us it is not a school holiday yet as the kindy last day is this Friday. Anyway, hubby bought a Barbie trolley bag in Macau, only RM10 and looks quite durable. Bea1 loves it and calls it her school bag already.
ReplyDeleteNow with all the talks about how heavy it is with books and hard to manouver, we may have to change it.
One other thing for us choosing between the pinafore and the baju kurung...mu girl loves baju kurung but I think not so comfortable for little girl like her to wear everyday, plus if she has to lug the bag around. And we also have not received any list for books, and my babysitter already told me whn I have it not to buy everything in the list yet as some books won't be used. She had experienced that. And yes, think in a way I'm lucky we have her...she is the type that prepares everything early and she also starts bugging me to get things done already;)
*Pening*
mama23beas,
ReplyDeletePerhaps you can get her one set of baju kurung and the rest pinafore type. I haven't received any list for books yet too.
Besides his textbooks and school uniform, we have not gotten anything yet!! And like you, I have no idea what type of bags to get for him, the school doesn't encourage trolley bags, as their classrooms are located at the 2nd level. Then there's still the stationeries; shoes; socks; water bottle..etc etc...my my, it's going to burnt a hole in our pockets...hee hee..
ReplyDeletenot cheap hor...haiya...when Jeriel time sure I pening...
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if the trolley bag debate has ended, but I'd advise against it, because while my sister was using hers in Primary 1 she was on the Ground floor. Then later, in Primary 2 and 3 they switched to higher and higher floors.
ReplyDeleteit's no fun carrying a trolley bag up so high.
She was upset at always being the last one in class to arrive, because of the bag.
blurblur,
ReplyDeleteNot advisable for you to get a trolley bag then since its on the 2nd floor...
chanelwong,
Yah, sure pening.
Jenny,
Oh, your poor niece. Thanks for sharing.