It's Almost Time...And I Had To Spend WAY Too Much!

We finally got all of the school supply shopping done. Between three kids, it cost almost ninety dollars. That included a pair of shoes for the boy (girls already got new shoes). Back in MY day (God, I just made myself sound older than dirt) my parents didn't have to buy all these things. Especially the extras. Like antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer and facial tissue.

Also, I don't ever recall needing more than TWO glue sticks. These days, kids need three LARGE or a dozen (or six, depending on grade and teacher preference) small sticks of glue.

The only things I had to take were my Trapper Keeper binder that had a few folders and the dividers, pencils, crayons and scissors in a pencil pouch and my lunch. Of course all in my awesome looking backpack.

I didn't get to take in the Tax-Free Weekend, sadly. But I was still able to find some pretty good deals, anyways. With three kids to shop for, I look for all the savings cuts I can when it comes to shopping for school that are listed.

I understand, that like us parents are, teachers are hurting economically, as are the schools themselves where funding is concerned. But to see some of the amounts PER item that they wish for us parents to buy really IS kind of obscene.

And no, I am NOT saying that the teachers and the schools should have to buy EVERYTHING...But why not pick up a little of the slack and provide the tissues, hand sanitizer and then antibacterial wipes? That would help US out.

The schools MUST also understand, that there are households (such as mine, included) that can only get so much PER child. With three children, all in school and all needing their supplies, it can be EXTREMELY difficult, financially.

Heck, even buying for one child can run you in to the ground, financially. Add in clothes, extra expenses (School Agendas, PE Uniforms, extra supplies for certain classes), it REALLY adds up.

I know that I may get a few teachers on here ready to jump me. But as a parent, I see that honestly, it is unfair to the parents to have to pretty much supply everything in the means of school supplies in the name of "free public education". It's NOT free when you are shelling out money you don't really have on things that should not be the parent's complete responsibility to supply.

Pens and pencils. Binders and backpacks. Uniforms (if required). Folders and dividers. Notebooks and composition books. That should be the END of the supply list.

Not that and a laundry list of other stuff.

I've got a friend who is financially hurting REALLY bad right now. Her daughter is going in to first grade, mom can't work, lives in low-income housing, and her nineteen-year-old son is helping with what little he has left over to get his baby sister at least SOME of her supplies.

Mom had to give up GROCERY money to buy those wipes, sanitizers and tissues. And to get a few pieces for the girl's uniforms.

I told her not to worry about the piddly crap, because the teacher WILL just have to understand and she will have MORE than plenty between the ones that will bring it all in.

She told me, with a shaky voice that she did it as to not be viewed as THAT mom. The one that is too damn dirt poor to get ANYTHING for her kid. To save her little girl from the good possibility of being made fun of for not having money.

The parents at our schools, and ALL the other schools in the country have parents with ALL variants of income status. Some dirt-ass poor. Some more than well-off. And some of us in the middle or are just keeping our heads above the water.

NO parent should feel in ANY way forced or coerced in to buying items that they CANNOT afford and have to make the choices (as a single parent) as she has had to do. All in the name of keeping her dignity in tact and making sure that her daughter isn't bullied because Mommy can't just go out and buy this, that and everything else on a whim.

If we are in a Public School setting where it is a "FREE public education", then by God, make it so! By not asking for the parents to do ALL the financial supplementation for YOUR classroom.

Blogging vs. "Too Personal" Writing (Also known As "When To Keep It To Yourself")

I'm all for airing out things if need be on your blog. And yeah, I do believe in "your blog, your decisions on what to write about".

But I feel that even in the world of blogging, there is and NEEDS TO BE a line of how much of your PERSONAL life should be divulged to the masses.

For one thing, I really do NOT wish to know about the hanky-panky you and your partner have in your bedroom (or anywhere else in the home). Your personal sex life should be left where it belongs..in YOUR home, behind CLOSED doors. Be it with your hubby/partner or with another man/woman. I really don't want to know in explicit detail of your "hot and wild night" between the sheets (or hanging from the rafters).

If you are losing followers/readers, then it may be for good reason. I don't like going to someone's blog I have gone to for quite some time, knowing that while they can get a bit crazy (in a good way), they won't go ALL out there. Plus showing ANY kind of "private" body part is a HUGE turnoff for many readers, including myself. I'll go to Playboy/girl to see some skin and raunchiness, thanks.

Though I must say, that MOST of those bloggers that DO write about way more than I and many others care to know about the writer's real (and private) life do have their pages set to "Adult Content Warning"...But when it is up for EVERY single page, be it "adult-like" or not, it's hard to avoid what you wish to NOT read about, and instead, you are too late and are "suckered" in to it. For me personally, I REFUSE to comment on such "open" posts and just hit the back button.

This past week, I had also taken the liberty of "un-following" some blogs. Mainly because of this very problem and because some just no longer held my interest or the content just wasn't up my alley. Like I had said, if I want to see skin, read about sexual innuendo and what someone did in their own home and life, I'll seek out Playboy/girl or rent me a porn movie.

I'm sorry if this angers anyone. But you are honestly hurting yourself and your readership, as well as your comment rating as a writer/blogger by posting things that I don't even tell my own father. And we tell one another everything. I just don't go in to THAT part of my life. I don't want anyone to know about my sex life. And I sure as hell don't wish to know about yours.