Is the Dedicated Kids’ Daily Planner worth buying?

Save the $14 — the folder the school gives them will do the exact same job, and you won’t feel bad when it gets ignored. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after several first days of school, it’s that the supplies nobody puts on the list are somehow the ones you end up needing most. A label on a water bottle, a snack container that actually seals, a wipe in the front pocket — none of it is glamorous, but all of it makes the first week of school go a little smoother for everybody. And smoother mornings mean fewer arguments at the front door, which is basically the whole game. My practical advice: do one quick walk-through of your kid’s bag the night before school starts and ask yourself what happens if it rains, if they get hungry, or if something breaks. That three-minute exercise will catch most of what’s missing. If you’ve got a forgotten supply that saved your family’s first week — or a purchase you wish you’d skipped — drop it in the comments. Rosie and I are always looking for better ideas, even if she mostly votes based on whether it comes in purple.

Note W000531. Filed.