Comments on: Green Mom Culture Shock: Back to School

By: Organic and Green Mom Blog | Green Schools: Five Lessons Learned the Hard Way at Organic Mania

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:29:22 +0000

[...] blogged a bit about my Green Mom Culture Shock during this time and how I was Dealing with the Schools: Coping as a Green Mom…but then I [...]

By: Herbs Medicine » Blog Archive

Herbs Medicine » Blog Archive — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:19:39 +0000

[...] Green Mom Culture Shock: Back to School As a seasoned mother of a six-year-old and a nearly two-year-old, I thought I was past the point where much could shock me. But then school started. And suddenly I went from the friendly confines of the Green Mom blogosphere to the public school system, where teachers routinely send home supply lists containing environmentally unfriendly items [...] Natural Life Recent Additions [...]

By: Dealing with the Schools: Coping as a Green Mom at Organic Mania

Dealing with the Schools: Coping as a Green Mom at Organic Mania — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:14:27 +0000

[...] folders stuffed full of papers to be reviewed by a responsible parental unit, and my continued Green Mom Culture Shock at the many environmentally unfriendly practices common to one of the most progressive school [...]

By: Sue

Sue — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:40:31 +0000

Each year we get nearly the same list of additional school supplies above the normal items needed for learning, such as pencils and notebooks etc. I asked my son if he used the hand sanitizer or plastic ziplock bags and turns out they didn’t-to his recollection. So this year we opted out of the extras and sent in items that the PTA requested like large white plastic bottles for making a terrarium (eco sin or educational learning device?).

These lists are perfunctory and I’m not sure the teachers are to blame. It looks like a blanket request, at least for the two schools my kids attend.

Good Luck as you begin this exciting adventure in our educational system.

By: Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 03:40:42 +0000

Those “supply lists” that get sent home can be a real drain on the environment, not to mention the household budget. I think what we need from schools is some green leadership, coupled with a healthy degree of restraint. I know my two children feel pressured into getting whatever their peers are getting. This makes it tough on us parents who are then forced to make tough decisions as to what gets excluded from those much-dreaded “supply lists”…

By: MC Milker

MC Milker — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:27:41 +0000

That’s interesting that you say that, Lynn…it is a shock moving to “real” school. Our preschool was pretty crunchy and the move to the supposedly crunchy grade school that turns out not to be was a real shock!

By: MamaBird/SurelyYouNest

MamaBird/SurelyYouNest — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:33:42 +0000

I hear you on shrinking school budgets, and as a former public school teacher, I also agree with the concept that schools should be aware of financial constraints at home.

I think a lot of the requests from teachers come from a place of convenience and habit — just like with every one of us with regard to whatever eco-sins we have. My kid’s teacher asked for paper cups and plates but was thrilled to get a couple sets of reusable ones from me as an alternative (note that that choice cost me more money, as is often the case with the more enviro choice – she may not have been comfortable asking for that up front). And you never know when your school or teacher will surprise you – that same teacher overheard me talking about compost with a friend in the hallway and eagerly asked me if I’d set her up with a worm bin cause she loved hers in her old school! So she’s going to lead me down that path. I do have to say that our neighborhood and school in general are pretty green, though, since we are all walkable to our little school and the school itself is small. I think the larger the scale of things, the harder it is to make careful (instead of expedient) choices. Another reason to have small schools!

By: Stephanie - Green SAHM

Stephanie - Green SAHM — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:43:58 +0000

My school had a pretty good list too, but I like that they just told us to contribute what we could. I’m sure they’ll have too much of some things and too little of others. My hope is that they will find uses for the excess and just let parents know where shortages are. It’s rough for teachers these days where the schools can give them so few supplies.

But there’s no way I’d send hand sanitizer! Soap and water are good enough for getting hands clean. People are so obsessed these days with keeping germs away that it drives me nuts.

By: Anna (Green Talk)

Anna (Green Talk) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:38:23 +0000

I have to agree with Diane about budgets. Even in the middle of the year, we are asked to replenish the teachers’ supplies.

This year I went into school and offered all my board games which are in great shape to learn that they had already bought them. Perhaps, they could reach out to parents to supply things that already in their homes that are not used rather than spend the money buying new.

My experience is similar to Beth’s. The hand sanitizer just gets me.

By: Jennifer Taggart

Jennifer Taggart — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:26:00 +0000

I experienced the same culture shock yesterday at my son’s brand new kindergarten. I was “that mom” expressing (under my breath) shock at being asked for plastic Ziploc bags. After being admonished by my husband not to embarass my child, and being heavily solicited for everything from art supplies to Kleenex (not one box in the classroom) because of budget cuts, I calmly approached the teacher after the “welcome parents” speech.

I asked her if it would be okay if I substituted some greener, less toxic options from the list. I was nice – I just said we are trying to be greener at home, and I don’t use plastic bags or antibacterial soaps.

You know what? I met a kindred spirit in that teacher – she responded with “I only clean with Dr. Bronners, but I can’t put that on the list because of the other parents . .”

So, my culture shock has subsided a bit since I know I can stealthily work in my greeness . . .

Jennifer Taggart
Smart Mamas Do It All Naturally
http://www.thesmartmama.com