Happy Wednesday friends! I would be remiss if I didn’t start this blog post with a heartfelt thank you for your response to Monday’s post. I cannot tell you how much all of the sweet and caring messages have meant to me. It was a very great reminder that burdens are a lot harder to deal with when carried alone. Community is everything, and your response proved that. So thank you. Truly.
It also inspired me to be a bit more willing to kind of… go with the flow with blog content. I’ve dipped my toes in lifestyle content in the past, but I’ve always reverted back to style content because, well, it’s my comfort zone. I’m good at personal style, it comes easily to me, and I like sharing about it. But more recently I’ve had the itch to share some other things that are working well for me and my family… and you’ve been asking for a bit of a branch out so it seems like the time is right. Plus, I’m at a point where I feel like I’m holding out on you because with 4 kids under my belt, and some very particular skin and hair to deal with I really do have some tips and tricks to share with you guys.
So after recently placing an order for some school gear for the twins, I made a promise to myself that I would share with you guys the goods because I have found the best, long lasting and useful school gear through a lot of trial and error and I want you guys to be in the know as well.
Now. I do realize this post is coming a little late as most of the US has already started school, but here in the colder states we start school after labor day so as to enjoy as much warm weather as possible. I wanted to get this up a few weeks ago for you guys, but… Covid had other plans.
STILL. The things I’m going to share with you are all things that are perpetually available so if you have a kiddo going to school next year or you need to replace something you can file this post away for later.
Okay then, these are the things all three of my girls use and that I swear by:
clockwise from top left:
Stainless steel water bottles: what you may not know about me is that I have spent the last 5 or so years storming the water bottle world to find a dang water bottle that doesn’t trap mold in the straw/lid area. I mean I get the desire for a leak proof water bottle, but why are so many kid’s bottles made with uncleanable spots?? Huge pet peeve of mine. Finally though, I have found a happy spot with these stainless steel water bottles. They’re leak proof AND every single part can be reached with at least a straw cleaner… NO hidden mold (high five!). My only complaint is that they are heavy and so can/have been used as weapons in our household.
Bento boxes: if you have kids that are particular about their food then this is the bento box for you! My kids can’t stand when food mixes or when their food gets soggy and after trying a bunch of bento boxes, this one works the best. It’s actually a bit hard to open and close sometimes because it SUCTIONS shut and each compartment stays completely separate from the others… even if you put a little dip in the smaller compartment.
Silverware set: I mean a silverware set is a silverware set, but this set is really high quality and has withstood a couple of years of hard use by Kit beautifully. I also like that it comes with the protective container and that the container is easy to clean as well.
Backpack: THESE are the backpacks you need! My sister put me on to these when Kit was going into kindergarten and bless her because they are SO good. The quality is there first of all. Kit is HARD on her things and hers is still in perfect condition after a full two years of use. They come in so many cute prints, and they are designed really well. You’ll need the large size, but it fits her school binder and folder, lunch box, special lovey, ALL of her fidgets, her glasses case, and any artwork that comes home (oh and her snow pants/gear in the winter). Plus the side pocket is the perfect amount of stretch that her water bottle slides in and out easily while still being snug. And the inside lining is easy to wash out and keep clean. I cannot say enough good things about these backpacks!
Thermos: my kids are very picky eaters, but they love soup ha! These thermos’s are great for sending along hot soup, but they’re also great for yogurt.
Fleece jackets: I have given up on any other type of transitional jacket beside the fleece jacket for my kids. They have sensory issues and the fleece is soft enough that it doesn’t bother them. I’ve tried a lot of different brands of fleece jackets and my favorite, by far, are these. They’re thick and warm, really warm, wash super well, and come in cute colors. I always size up so they can wear them for at least a few seasons.
Snack box: the girls each bring a snack to school and I really try to capitalize on every eating moment they have – ADHD symptoms are so much more easily managed on a full stomach. I used to buy little bags of snacks at ALDI for the ease, but I’ve learned that they do a lot better on a more balanced snack so I’ve been using these snack boxes to send them a more complete snack.
Lunch box: the lunch boxes we swear by are the same brand as the backpacks and everything I said about the backpack can be said for the lunch boxes. Great quality, easily fit a bento box, juice box, silverware compartment, snack box, and I can squeeze a thermos in the cup holder on the side. And again, they are easy to wipe out on the inside. One extra thing I love about is the zipper pocket on the inside of the flap because I can slip a little ice pack in it to keep everything cold.
Reusable snack containers: I always throw one of these in their backpacks for the bus ride home – they’re really nice and squishy so they don’t take up a lot of room, but the silicone is nice and thick so things don’t get totally crushed banging around with everything else. The zip top is also really nice and snug.
Ice packs: these are the best ice packs for the lunch boxes! They are the perfect size to slip in the zipper pocket and they’re really slim so they don’t add any bulk to the lunch boxes. I have a stock pile in my freezer so I can just do a 1:1 replacement whenever I empty out their lunch box at the end of the day.
Okay that’s it! Nothing ground breaking, but all things that have made my life easier and all things I highly recommend for other mamas! Have your kids started school yet? I’m glad we have another couple of weeks left, but I’m also really looking forward to having only one child at home during the day ha!
Until next time,
Karin
