Im ordering my little soon to be 1st grader a new back pack. Every sight I have seen gives you the option to put your kids names on back packs. Does anyone else think this is a big "no no" or is it just me?
Definitely not! While they look adorable, I don't want someone knowing my child's name!
I shop at one step ahead a lot and I always see that option. I have never done it. Just that much easier for someone to get my kid's attention who shouldn't be. Rather safe than sorry. Not worth it to me.
That would be a no for me. I don't want any stranger to be able to call my child by name. Could you do an initial(s) or a picture instead?
Go with the 3-initial monogram. That way, your child's pack can be identified among the 50 million identical ones, yet no one knows what his name is.
No, too easy for a weirdo to try and make friends with an unsuspecting child. I always let my child choose something that could clip on, a key chain or small toy, so they could see which was their backpack immediately.
I would NOT put my child's name on the outside of the backpack...why? because some psycho can read their name - call them over and BAM! my kid is gone...
I know that's far out - but it does happen and it sucks...
I have seen so many cute backpacks with the name. I won't buy them though. We teach our children to only go with someone they know. A stranger will "know" them because the name. I used to buy keychains with their name or initial and put that on. A friend's sister got backpacks with her kids' nicknames. Her little girl almost went with a guy because he knew her nickname. the teacher stopped her.
I used a monogram. No names.
I agree that it's a scary thing to put your childs name on a backpack where a stranger can call out their name and act as if they are a friend of their mom or what have you...too scary. I think a monogram is ok but in all reality, my kids have never mixed up their backpacks yet so I'm not real concerned with making sure they stand out from the rest. Plus, at our school (and pre-school) each child has their own labeled cubby so it would be pretty tough to mix up backpacks.
I'm on the same page. All it takes is for someone to read the name and say 'Hey Timmy! Your mom sent me!'... game over. I was brought up putting my name on the inside of everything, and I do the same with my kids (except their lunchboxes, but only because they're the same and they stay IN their back pack).
I do it! My kids go to school with over 600 kids and it is easy to grab the wrong bag. Honestly, I pick them up and take them 95% of the time, and if they ride the bus they get dropped at my street and walk right into my yard 20 foot away.
If they can put it on the BACK which is against the child's back and can't be seen by strangers, then yes. Otherwise, no.
I would just go with the initials.
I NEVER, put my kids' whole name, on their belongings or backpack. Period.
I only put, initials. Their first/middle/last name initials.
And I put MY cell number on it, saying "if lost or found, call: -------"
I order my kids backpacks from LL Bean.
GOOD quality backpacks and warrantied. For life.
AND, I ALWAYS, attach an identifying object on my kids backpacks, so that THEY and others, can VISUALLY instantly tell, that it is theirs or not theirs.
Like a huge yarn Pom-Pom or something.
I order bag tags/luggage tags, from E-bay. You can put what you want on it. Then attach it to your kids backpack/lunch bag, etc.
As fun as it sounds to mark everything up with names, I don't do it for two reasons.
1. Safety. Like others mentioned. Can't even allow myself to type what could happen. (Gulp)
2. It makes it harder to pass down good quality items to another sibling, cousin, etc. or to donate the item and know someone will use it.
Great question as it will hopefully lead to some awareness to other moms who may have never thought of it.
We bought a cute, cupcake shaped luggage tag to put on my daughter's backpack with only her first name and my cell number.
It's another step to protecting our children...Names go on the inside of their items or I place a ribbon or tag (lack of name) on the outside of whatever it is I need them to identify that it is theirs & not someone elses.Bad idea on my point of view,I like to teach my kids to identify what is theirs know where they put it regardless if it's school or not it's bound to happen that there can be 2-3 back packs of the same color or character but place it where your name is in your classroom.And of course mom is here if it gets taken by mistake i'll track it down
My daughter wears a navy and white uniform to school and my niece sent her a really nice pink and navy Nautica back pack. I wanted to label it for her, but didn't want her name to be visible, or have a sharpie bleed through and make it look messy. I went to Walmart and used the self serve machine to engrave dog tags with her name, school name and my phone number and attached it as a zipper pull. Hopefully if we lose it, it will some how make it's way back to us. The tag is really cute, and it is not visible unless you are holding the backpack and trying to figure out how to open it. It is also indestructible and in addition to the regular dog bone shape, they have hearts, round circles, fire hydrants, some are enameled and some even have bling! We have two Walmart super centers in out town, and one has those machines in the front of the cashiers, and one does not. I know they also have them in Petco and Petsmart.
We only do initials because the last thing you want is someone to yell "hey Joe your mom told me to pick you up" our school actually requires ou to sign your child out an if they don't know you you must be on the pick up list and have a photo Id.
As a back up My kids have been taught they cannot go with anyone other then me unless they tell them the password even dad if he unexpectedly picks the kids up from school must tell the boys the password.
I wouldn't do it. Initials are probably okay, but I don't do those either.