Ok girls – this stationery obsession we have is truly a girl
thing. Boys just don’t get it. As a parent of both a boy and 2 girls the
evidence is clear and it starts early. The girls will sit and help and cover
and stick and write and plan. My 10 year old girl has set out her Day 1 of
School Morning Plan from 5.30 – 8.30 am in bullet point format, her bag is
packed, clothes set out and is soooo excited about returning to school. My 14
year old girl is less enthusiastic about Day 1 but is still asking to go to the
uniform shop to make sure the uniform is right. I’d say this has more to do
with having enough time to have the hem raised. Her books aren’t issued until
Day 1 but the pencil case is done, labelled and she is obsessed with what
accessories to take for the school locker.
Now to my darling 16 year old son. No 1 Son as he is known
now after my manufacturing in China. I have not been able to have covering on his
books since year 8. He attends an all
boys school where the teachers must just despair at the state of the boys
books. After speaking to one of my lovely customers today I realise I am not
alone in being embarrassed at the state of my child’s school books after only a
few weeks at school. But Boys Just Don’t Get It! They don’t see the dog eared pages,
the disgusting stains from the milk drink that spilled over the entire contents
of the school bag and the corner that's been resting against a rotting apple for
weeks! I have even had notes home from a teacher (female obviously) advising me
of the poor state of my sons stationery. Can you believe it! I was appalled. I
felt this was a reflection on my parenting skills. Where had I gone wrong?
My son also thought that I was a stationery shop, (well I am now) but I was asked on a
weekly basis for more pens, pencils, white out etc. I’m sure he was selling it.
No he wasn’t. It was just that Boys Don’t Get It! I do have a good news ending
to this story and proof that miracles do happen so stay with me.
In an effort to try to keep No. 1 Sons’ exercise books in
some sort of condition this year I purchased hardcover exercise books knowing
that even though I had designed a pack based on his likes which you would know
as “Kool Dude”, as a year 11 boy he was never going to put them on his
books. So sitting on our kitchen table for the last couple of weeks has been a
pile of hardcover books. No. 1 Son has walked past, sat beside and eaten in front
of these books but when I asked him last night about them he had not seen them.
Sound familiar? Then the true miracle occurred. No. 1 Son announces that he
wants to cover his books – gasp!
As a result we have PVC protected hardcover exercise books that should withstand spills and extreme school conditions that only 16 year old boys can inflict. The hard covers did take a little more effort to get into the cover so go carefully if you are going to do the same but below is a photo of my sons’ books covered by him in covers designed for him. I am so proud!
