I was in the middle of picking up a few things around the pigpen and noticed my son's bookbag laying there.

It reminded me of an idea my friend gave me several years ago. I always wanted to do it but never remembered to. I thought I would put out this thread for others.

The friend that gave me the idea is not add or adhd but she is a worry wort and a hypochondriac, if that counts.

Anyway, every year, since her kids were in Kindergarten, she has always taken all their best papers from school, their favorite drawings, best test scores, class photos, etc... and stored them in their kids bookbag for that year. She labels the bookbag with the kids name, age, school, grade, etc...


Her kids (who are now 12 and 15), periodically go back into their bookbags from earlier years to reminisce.

I thought that this was such a great idea.

With my son though, for each year of paperwork that I need to keep due to his adhd/ocd/learning disabilities and mood disorder, I would need a separate storage unit for each year, each with it's own dartboard set up with the picture of the teacher from **** on it from that year. (Just kidding.) There wouldn't just be one teachers picture hanging up. I can't leave out that horrible 5th grade guidance counselor. Or the 6th grade weasle asst principal.

Sorry...I was getting off the subject.

Anyway, just an idea for you young mom and dads that are just getting ready to send your chickies off to Kindergarten next year. You have a head start on the bookbag idea.

Love the idea, but I have four kids. Can you imagine the number of bookbags this would involve? I would need an addition just for their storage!

For those who are space-challenged, another idea is to laminate the individual pieces of work into a book by grade. Like a portfolio of their best work, in a book form. Binding is relatively inexpensive, and can be found at many stores such as Walmart, Target, etc. or Teacher Supply Stores. Self laminating kits are a bit more expensive, but easy to use. Or, if you know someone who is a teacher, they may have access to the school's laminator.

This could also be a great graduation gift, and something your child will have for his/her whole life. I was not diagnosed til 28, so whenever my oldest (nearly twelve now) would run from the room, dramatically crying, "you just don't understand" I would want to bang my head against the wall. And then it hit me...SHOW HER. They had seen the papers my parents kept of my best work. I handed her a stack of my old report cards. K-2 were all glowing. Starting from 3rd grade onward, it all went downhill.

They went a little something like this: "does not exercise self control," "fidgets constantly," "does not follow directions," "is not working up to potential," "is failing this course," blah blah blah blah blah.

I had bitten my tongue to keep from screaming at her for the millionth time, and I just handed them to her without saying a word. I left her in her room by herself, and after awhile she came to me in tears. All I said to her was, "I do understand. But none of those negative comments or bad grades matter, because in my own time, in a way that worked best for me, I MASTERED the concepts, and you will, too."

So, I save their best AND their worst...because someday, when I give them these, I want them to see how hard they worked, and how far they came as a result of it. I guess they're going to have very thick laminated books...maybe I should separate them by school...elementary, middle, and secondary? hmmmmm.

I like the bookbag idea but I hate paper clutter!

I'd rather use a scanner and make them a DVD every year. Hey, there's a business idea in there.

ooooo a dvd collection...hmmmm there's an idea.

And just think...you could take the digital camera to school and take pictures of their classroom...and the teachers that are writing all of those wonderful things about your child....and pictures of all the kids that get on the bus with them in the morning...and when they are adults they will either look back on it and laugh or you given them photo's of everyone they need to hunt down and.....uh....yeah....and thank. That's what I meant. :D

see, you're so much nicer than I am. I was thinking blackmail that is shown during their wedding receptions on a continuous loop...

ha ha

This could also be a great graduation gift, and something your child will have for his/her whole life. I was not diagnosed til 28, so whenever my oldest (nearly twelve now) would run from the room, dramatically crying, "you just don't understand" I would want to bang my head against the wall. And then it hit me...SHOW HER. They had seen the papers my parents kept of my best work. I handed her a stack of my old report cards. K-2 were all glowing. Starting from 3rd grade onward, it all went downhill.

They went a little something like this: "does not exercise self control," "fidgets constantly," "does not follow directions," "is not working up to potential," "is failing this course," blah blah blah blah blah.

I had bitten my tongue to keep from screaming at her for the millionth time, and I just handed them to her without saying a word. I left her in her room by herself, and after awhile she came to me in tears. All I said to her was, "I do understand. But none of those negative comments or bad grades matter, because in my own time, in a way that worked best for me, I MASTERED the concepts, and you will, too."
I LOVE THIS IDEA! I am only 24, don't have any kids and not planning on it anytime soon, but when I do this will def be something I do. I wish someone would have done this for me when i was younger.

I like the bookbag idea but I hate paper clutter!

I'd rather use a scanner and make them a DVD every year. Hey, there's a business idea in there.
Definitely a great business idea, but a word of caution: an archivist told us that Cds and DVDs may not be the best things to store data on over the long haul; say, fifty years. So far, micro-fiche is still the most stable product. I just happen to have a fiche reader taking up space on a desk. :D

And then it hit me...SHOW HER. They had seen the papers my parents kept of my best work. I handed her a stack of my old report cards. K-2 were all glowing. Starting from 3rd grade onward, it all went downhill.
Brilliant !