Our rule on school bags

Dear Angel and Ariel,

I have a rule for you when it comes to school bags. Either you carry it yourself, or leave it as it is. Yup, sorry but this Mama ain't gonna be one of those who will carry your bags for you.

If we happen to have a stroller, fine, we can let you hang the bag and lighten your load.

If Papa is coming to fetch us and we are going out for a family outing, sure, you can leave your bag in the car.

If you are really, really sick and have absolutely no strength to carry your bag (which probably means you shouldn't be in school in the first place), then okay, I will do it for you just this once.

BUT, on any other occasion, you are to carry your bag yourself. Yes, that means your backpack should be on your back, not in front of you or being dragged along the floor.  

Mummy has witnessed numerous times on how many parents, helpers and even grandparents rush up to carry the bags for their kids the moment they pick them up from school. Some of the grandparents are elderly, skinny and frail yet they carry one, or sometimes two or three, heavy bags and water bottles while the able kids just run off to play.

That is not how it is going to work in our family and since you were two or three years old, we have trained you to carry your own bag to and fro school. Yes, jiejie has been doing it for years already and even meimei is carrying her own bag now whenever we go for her weekly class.

While Mummy applauds you for your effort, I want to tell you that there is no regressing so please don't come up to me one day and request for me, or anyone else, to carry your school bag for you. It's your bag, your load and your responsibility. Likewise, from kindergarten onwards, Mummy also wants you to learn to pack your own bag, know what to bring and how to put them together neatly. It's your homework, your belongings, your class and if you ever forget to bring along something important, that just means you have to better remind yourself the next time round.

I can do many things for you, like helping to practise your spelling, guiding you with problem sums, teaching you difficult words but I will not be the one to pack your bag every night or carry your bag to school every morning, get it? I want you to feel proud to own your bag, be responsible for yourself and be happy knowing that you can achieve more things than you imagine.

Don't compare yourself to your peers who have people to help them and don't hold a grudge against Mama for only carrying the house keys while you have a bulky bag filled with worksheets, books, clothes and snacks (for the record, I did it when I was a kid too so it's your turn now). It's part and parcel of growing up and it is one of the little ways that you can help Mama to reduce her burden too. Walking you to and fro school every day with three kids in tow isn't going to be easy, you know.

There is something I promise not to forget and that is to give you a tight hug and a big kiss every time we say goodbye. I'm proud of you two more than I show it and you know I love you both so, so, so much. So let's keep up the good work and I hope you will always look forward to going to school!

Love,
Mummy

(P.S. I have nothing against those parents or grandparents who like to carry the little ones' school bags as a way of showing their love and care. I don't think there's any right or wrong and it's just a matter of choice, so we choose not to do it in our family.)