writing name on backpack

DS starts kindergarten this year, and his teachers have (reasonably)
requested that we put his name on everything. But I'm wondering about
putting his name on his backpack--I guess my fear is that if I put his first
name where it can be easily seen by the general public, that a predator
could address him by name (making the predator seem less like a stranger).
There is a tag on the inside of the backpack, in which I have put his name
and phone number, but I can't really expect a busy teacher to have to open
the bag and look for the name inside.

So what do people usually do? Am I being paranoid?

hemulen27...

If it worries you, you could maybe get a luggage tag and attach that to
the outside. The ones where you write the details on the card inside
and there's a flap that covers it. It would mean it wasn't in obvious
plain view but could be easily uncovered if necessary.

Barbara...

How about putting it on the inside part that will be facing towards his
back when he carries it? Or doing it quite small. For the first time,
we bought those iron on labels for camp this year, and they really do
stay on amazingly well. While things differ between schools, I don't
think that they want things labelled so the *teachers* can find them;
they want the *kids* to be able to find their own things, and make
retrieving from the lost and found easier. (Here's a hint. If your
kid has a coat with a detachibe hood, label both pieces.)

Barbara (writing from the hotel computer while One and his dad get
ready ...how long does it take to get dressed??!!)

annie...

I would expect the name would be used to find the owner if the backpack
is lost, so I would think it would be OK to have the name inside. I
would also think you could write it small enough to be identified up
close, but not large enough to be read unless you were holding it.

This year, our packs are solid black inside and didn't have a label so
I did write their names on the outside. However, I put it near the
zipper flap and just used the lastname since we're the only ones at
school with that name.

Tracey...

First, I write names on the inside somewhere (or like someone else said for
the backpack, on the part that faces the child's back when they are wearing
the backpack) On coats, backpacks, lunch bags, dance shoes, etc. I always
either put just the initials or our last name. I never put the child's
first name. I also buy a lot of clothes at consignment shops, and most seem
to have the same thing, either a last name or initials in them. I've seen
very few things in the consignment shop with first names.

L....

Umm...luggage tag.

hobbes...

A luggage tag is a good idea. That way, it would be easier to pass the
backpack along if one of his siblings ends up using it. Thanks.

cvantien...

Most people write their child's name on the inside flap of the backpack
at our childrens' school, although the backpacks are navy blue so
writing on them with black texta means they can read it at short
distances but not at long distances. However, most kids identify their
bags by decorating it individually. Any of those toys that can be put
on keychains can also be hung off backpack tags so there is a lot of
scope for individuality there. Or you can get something like these
things:
which are easy to spot and easy for kids to identify themselves. I
have everything coordinated for my children - Shrimp has skull and
crossbones on his back and sticky labels, Thud has trains, Mischief has
butterflies so they all know which picture to look for.

hobbes...

That's a fun idea. Maybe I'll take DS shopping to pick something for his
bag. I have a feeling it's not too big an issue--I don't think any of the

m00ndancer...

Jodi ~

No, you are not being paranoid. You never know who is watching our
kids as they are going to and from school. I am a mom of 5 and I have
a 5 year old who just started Kindergarten this year. Having gone
through this 3 times already I've learned a few things about safety.
The teachers can only watch so much of what's going on, so we parents
have to be extra cautious with our children. I've never written my
children's names on the outside of their backpacks. I've lived in
several different size communities and have seen and heard some
horrible things around school grounds. Where we live now is not
considered a large community, but things still happen. So, again this
year when preparing my children's things for school, I wrote my son's
name on the inside of the backpack, as usual. However, yesterday, his
K teacher thought it was her place to write my son's name on the
outside of his pack...facing out! I talked to her today and told her

toypup...

She's got a lot of nerve permanently defacing his backpack like that.

that we just don't do that for safety reasons. She is not a new
teacher and I would have thought she would know better, but she didn't.
So, I've blotted out his name so strangers will not be able to read
it. I was watching some of the other parents (I'm assuming they were
parents) picking up kids this week from school. I saw many adults
approaching children, calling them by name, taking their hand and
saying "come on (insert name here) it's time to go." Some of these
adults were daycare providers, as well. The teachers do not know who
every adult is that pick up these kids. Yes, we fill out the forms of
who is allowed to pick up our kids, but this is the beginning of the
year and the teachers cannot be expected to know every person on site.

So, again, no you are not being paranoid. Protecting our children is
our first priority when sending them off to school. I only wish more
parents were as concerned and didn't take the safety of their kids for
granted.

Mel - mom to...
son - age 17
daughter - age 14
son - age 11
son - age 5
son - age 3

other kids in his class have the same backpack, and I did put our name on
the inside, in case it ever makes its way to the lost and found. But the
decorating idea is fun.