Heavy School Bags

Ruth Loh quizzes parents on what they feel about the load their young children bear everyday to school. They share their thoughts here.

My youngest son has a locker in school they gave the students, and he makes full use of it. His textbooks  for all subjects are dumped in there and never make their way home. For some strange reason studying doesn’t seem to require any of his textbooks. So his bag is usually quite empty but his locker is always full. - Mrs Tan Siew Lay, 48, administrative officer, has 3 sons.Yi Hao, her youngest son currently attends Secondary 4.

Shi Chen’s school bag is very heavy. He brings all of his textbooks to school every single day. He has English, Mathematics, and Science every day, so that’s one reason. Also I think it is common for kids to be prepared with all their different notes and books because the lesson plans can change any time.” - Mrs Tan Siew Lan, a 40-something home maker whose 12-year-old son Shi Chen recently completed his PSLE.

Amber has a locker in school so technically speaking, she doesn’t need to ferry her textbooks to and from school which should mean that her school bag ought to be relatively light. But her bag is still very heavy although she packs it every night before going to bed. That’s because she has a lot of files and worksheets to bring to school every day.- Mrs Tan Mel Chun, a school teacher in her mid-30s, has a 10 year-old daughter, Amber, who attends Primary 4.

My daughter has a locker and basket in school, and they let her put her school books in there, so actually, her school bag can be very light! Some children have to bring heavy school bags full of textbooks. But her school bag is very heavy because she insists on bringing her favourite soft toys and at least four pencil cases, story books, and stickers along to school with her!

- Dr Lee Tong Lynn, a dentist from Holland Village Dental in her mid-30s. Her daughter Laura attends Singapore Chinese Girls’ School.

Sarah’s schoolbag is a small canvas sling bag and is quite light. Every time I ask her where all her books are, she shrugs the question off. She used to carry a heavy backpack when she was in primary and secondary school and had a lot of textbooks and files to bring to school. I don’t really nag at her about her schoolwork. She’s old enough to think for herself now.
- Doris Tan, 50, a real es

tate agent, has a daughter, Sarah who pursues Higher Ni-Tec course in ITE.


“Schoolbags are getting lighter with the introduction of lockers and a decrease in workbooks. My eldest boy always had very heavy bags because he had no locker and he had exercise books for mathematics, science, English, Chinese spelling…now my youngest doesn’t use exercise books, just worksheets. 
- Mrs Tng Meng Hong, 50, legal assistant and mother of 20-year-old Liang Shun, 14-year-old Liang Gen and 12-year-old Liang Yi

? What are your thoughts on cutting the load off kids’ school bags? Email your comments to admin@absolutelyparents.com