Back-to-school shopping lists aren’t so bad, say most parents

Are your back-to-school shopping lists feeling a little “extra?”

For some parents, the answer is “yes.”

“Back-to-school lists are getting out of hand,” says Twitter user Ashley Mosley Dickens in an August 13 post. “Excited to sell my kidneys and one lung to afford everything on the back to school lists,” jokes Twitter user Elizabeth.

Nearly three in five parents say that their student’s supply list will be used, according to a recent Ipsos Omnibus survey. Those polled could select multiple responses. About a third of parents say their students are providing for others. One-fourth say they shouldn’t be responsible for some items due to funding shortfalls.

Besides traditional pencils to notebooks, school lists now often include items like hand sanitizer, paper towels, dry-erase markers, zip-close bags and disinfectant wipes. Schools used to provide many items but have cut back due to budget shortages. A minority of parents don’t understand why the lists are so long and specific. But most respondents say they are happy to supply their teachers who are working hard to educate their child.

“I would rather send in a big pump bottle of hand sanitizer and know that the teacher has enough to give every kid a squirt,” says Kirsten Eye of Saline, Michigan.