By watching Jon and Kate Plus 8, I learned including eights kids is 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 in order to avoid getting them confused. They did this in lieu of embroidering their names on 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 was wearing this backpack in the grocery store 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 stopped upon hearing her name.
My daughter has her name on some Pottery Barn Kids bath towels and on a few 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, which is probably why I didn’t think putting her name on her backpack would be an issue. It’s better to be safe than sorry though, so no we opted for no name.
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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 of the Pottery Barn backpacks. If your kids insist on some sort of personalization, have their names embroidered on the lunch box instead of the backpack.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids says that labeling backpacks, lunch kits, and other exposed items is a no-no. Over 2000 kids are reported missing every day in the US. I can’t imagine what that is like for the parents.
Anyway, you can sometimes learn while watching train-wreck TV.
Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).
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