How to Tell if Boise’s School Supply List Will Cause Your Child Back Pain

The last thing a 7-year old needs is to lug around a 20-pound backpack all day, and doctors are warning that a school backpack can lead to life-long problems if it's too heavy.  Are Boise school supply lists going to cause any issues?

My daughter came home after day one of school and said her obliques hurt.  What?!  That had to be the most unexpected, oddball thing I've ever heard after asking that standard, "How was your day," but I guess it's better than "Fine."  At least there was some information attached.  Her obliques are going to be rock-solid after a year of carrying around a heavy backpack at school, and honestly, it makes me want to load one up and carry it around all day at work.  It's a good core exercise.

It can be dangerous for kids if their backpack is too heavy, and there is one rule that parents can follow that will draw a line and help us know when too many binders and pens have been crammed in there.  A child's backpack should weigh no more than ten percent of a child's body weight, according to Healthline.  So, if your fifth grader weighs 100 pounds, the backpack should weigh no more than 10 pounds.  It might feel a little weird to put the kids and the backpacks on the scale before they head out the door, but I'm totally doing it.  They'll thank us later.

I checked out Boise school supply lists, and it's looking like most of them will come in under ten pounds.  Here is the 6th-grade list as an example:

6th Grade BOISE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SIXTH GRADE SUPPLY LIST

3-ring binder -2-inch or larger
3-holed pencil pouch
Package of dividers
Spiral notebooks-college-ruled
Composition notebooks-college-ruled
Package 3-holed college-ruled paper
#2 pencils
Large pair of scissors
Colored pencils
Red pens
Blue or black ballpoint pens
Pocket folders
Erasers
Highlighter pens
Large box facial tissues
Earbuds

My middle schooler has to keep everything in her backpack because they're not doing lockers this year.  If the kids have to pack gym clothes, shoes, lunch, snacks, and a phone, that can add weight in a hurry.

The worry is that kids will develop back pain over time if the backpack is too heavy, so it's best to shed some supplies if possible.  Boise's kindergarten list is pretty short:  crayons, glue sticks, markers, and Kleenex.  They won't have to worry about the heavy stuff for a year or two.  Most other elementary supply lists are similar to the 6th-grade list, and most of them can leave the day-to-day supplies in their classrooms and just haul a few things back and forth.

What about the rest of us?  If you're an active, outdoorsy adult who likes to hike, that type of backpack can be a little heavier, according to Healthline.  Adults can carry backpacks up to 20 percent of their body weight without any ill effects.