Purchase of a School Bag: Points to Keep in Mind

In a very popular Bengali song the misery of the children carrying heavy school bag on the shoulder has been addressed. Children going to schools with a huge bag on the back are a common spectacle in every country of the world. Parents purchase these bags from the local markets. Manufacturers of the school bags earn a profit to their utter satisfaction every year. This short piece of writing aims at describing the factors which parents should take into consideration while purchasing the school bags for their kids.

•  Let us recollect the prescription of The American Academy of Pediatrics with regard to the backpack. They have advised that weight of a school bag must be within 10 to 20 percent of the body weight of the child concerned. Here weight of the school bag includes weight of the bag and books and all other necessary materials together. Parents, therefore, should select a bag made of nylon or canvas and bags made of leather or of any heavier material must be rejected.
•  Parents should be careful about the shoulder straps of the backpack. These straps must have a width of one-fourth of a foot to the minimum. The weight of the bag will be shared by its greater part if the straps are sufficiently wider. There are bags with a strap on one side. Such bags are not suitable because this will create backache. Parents should also verify if the straps are padded. Absence of the pad in the straps will work against even distribution of the weight.

•  Size of the backpack is very important. If a bag bigger than what is required is bought, the child will find it necessary to put many unnecessary materials of his choice to take the advantage of the space. Then the bag will be much heavier and he will be in trouble. On the other hand, if a smaller bag is taken the very purpose of the school bag will be lost.

• The buyer must study the provisions of the backpack. The bag should have a compartment for the text books and a separate one for the exercise books, places for the pens and geometry/biology box, and for loose sheets and water/cold drinks bottle and for an umbrella. Now-a-days students take cell-phone and I-Pod/MP 3 Player in their bags.

• It should be kept in mind that the bag must fit well for the child. You must put the books etc inside the bag and prepare the bag first in order to test if the bag fits well for your child. If the bag does not fit well or if the bag has uncomfortable weight, the child will report backache and pain in the shoulders within a short time.
•  Price is obviously a factor. School bags are available at different prices. The cheaper ones are not generally good. You should pay attention to the quality of the product. It is really better to the final analysis. Brand names are not generally deceptive.
• It is wiser to take your child with you when you are purchasing the school bag. The student may have his/her own choice. He/she may feel happy seeing his/her favorite cartoon stars imaged on the body of his bag. You should try to accept his selection.