Watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 taught me that eight kids are a lot of work, and I would never want a film crew around 24/7.
However, I watched an episode after they announced their separation. Jon mentioned that the kids all have different-colored school backpacks to avoid getting confused. They did this in lieu of embroidering their names on the outside of the backpacks because they didn’t want strangers to be able to call after them.
Now, think what you want about Jon, but that’s a pretty good point.
I know these kids are more famous than my daughter. But if she wore a backpack with her name in the grocery store or while traveling somewhere and a stranger called her name, she’d likely turn around. She has major stranger danger, but you never know what could happen in that second she paused upon hearing her name.
My daughter has her name on some Pottery Barn Kids bath towels and other things. I did think about putting her name on her backpack just because I thought it would be cute. We live in a very safe neighborhood and tend to travel to major cities, so I didn’t think putting her name on her backpack would be an issue. It’s better to be safe than sorry, though, so we opted for no name.
We are huge fans of Pottery Barn Kids backpacks with matching lunchboxes (the bento lunch box is among our favorites). Remember, though, these backpacks do not have to be personalized. The matching lunch boxes fit inside the Pottery Barn backpacks. If your kids insist on some personalization, have their names embroidered on the lunch box instead of the backpack.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids says labeling backpacks, lunch kits, and other exposed items is a no-no. Over 2000 kids are reported missing every day in the U.S. I can’t imagine what that is like for the parents.
Anyway, you can sometimes learn while watching train-wreck TV.
Katie Dillon
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