My Kid Lost Something at School (again.) Now What?

From backpacks to binders to favorite stuffed animals, it seems like kids are always leaving something at school. Unfortunately, things getting left behind can lead to big headaches. At best, you have to wait until school opens to head to the office, where you get to spend a half-hour digging through Lost and Found. Then you get to examine a handful of identical pink-and-purple JanSport backpacks, taking note of the contents until you’re sure of the one that belongs to your kid.

That’s if the item lost is as innocuous as a backpack. Woe to the parent whose child lost their favorite LOL Surprise! doll when they brought it in for Show and Tell. 

Every parent has been there. I’d say except for homeschooling parents, but something tells me even they can’t escape the black hole of lost things completely. Children always find a way to become parted with their stuff. And while you may not be able to stop it from happening outright, you can minimize the damage just a little and make life a bit easier for everyone—you, your kid, and your kid’s teacher included. Meanwhile, when something does get lost, there are some things you can do to help your child reconnect with their missing item.

Keep Everything in its Place

“Everything has a place.” How many times did you hear that growing up? Sure, it was annoying, but there’s a reason your grandparents, parents, and teachers repeated this little phrase so often. Now it’s your turn to do the same with your kids. Of course, it’s irritating for kids to constantly be told to put the scissors back exactly where they’re supposed to go, or to put their books away, or to fold up their earbuds and put them in their backpacks. But when they do it again and again, they begin to build good habits and stay organized, and soon they won’t have to be told every single time. 

Ask Leading Questions

Of course, things will still get lost from time to time. In the rush to get to the lunchroom or to be the first to the playground, things will end up abandoned. That’s when it’s your turn to play detective, so put on your cap and summon up your inner Sherlock Holmes. First, remember that kids can be emotional, even over something as seemingly trivial as a favorite plastic cup that’s gone AWOL, so be patient.  

Next, try asking leading questions. Instead of the obvious, “Where do you think you left it?” ask questions like, “Where do you think you saw it last?” instead. Maybe the last time little Rebekha saw it was two hours ago at lunchtime, but that will give you a chance to ask more questions and guide the child. For example, “Okay, after lunch do you remember having your cup with you when you went back to the classroom?”

Try Using School Label Stickers

As has already been stated, you aren’t likely to keep kids from losing their things at school outright. That’s why it may be the best option to make sure that even if they do leave something behind, everybody knows exactly who the item belongs to with school label stickers. These personalized name labels for school can stick to virtually anything from a child’s backpacks, binders, and other belongings such as clothing and shoes. 

Of course, there is no way to guarantee that children will never lose something at school again. (Even adults are prone to leaving things at the office, or behind in the car, or in the Uber we took home after the party we went to last week…) But taking the right steps can make it a lot easier for parents to make sure they’re able to get those important items back quickly and easily. Check us out today to see the options we have available for kids’ labels for school!