My third grader's backpack weighs 10 pounds. She weighs 52 pounds. Is this a problem?

Question

She complains of how heavy it is all the time. I weighed it, and I couldn't believe how heavy it was. Should I be concerned?

Answer 1

ha! get that thing off of her

Answer 2

yes she could get a hernia  give her less homework  and help organize her backpack tell her what should stay at home and what should stay at school and what she needs in her backpack.

Answer 3

Your daughter must be very slight to only weigh 52 pounds! But you're right, that is way too heavy for her to carry safely and it's the reason they started making those roller backpacks.  Our kids have so much more homework and books that go home than we did at the same age.

Answer 4

that is definitely a problem.  it is suggested that the back back weighs no more than 10% of the weight of the child.

what could a third grader need that weight 10 lbs ?

Answer 5

What is all in that bag? Is all of it necessary? I can't imagine why there should be that much in the bag on a regular basis. Check it out and see what you can eliminate.

Answer 6

yes,alot of backpacks are like that these days,its really stupid,I would talk to whoever is in charge at the school.

Answer 7

wen i was that age my bag was about the same now mine is pretty heavy and i only weigh around 70 pounds I'm 13 and skinny  and my bag is 20-25 pounds so talk to her teacher a binder in that grade i used mine fist wen i was 11 but 9 wow school is getting stranger and stranger

Answer 8

yep it could cause serrious back problems!!! sorry but i dont have a solution to the problem i just know that the farther into school she gets the heavier her bag will get and that yes it can be very serious!!!

Answer 9

could cause back problems later. Might want to get her one of them backpacks that have wheels...alot of the younger ones where i live use those.

Answer 10

Here's the thing about the "excess" homework.  It needs to be sent home.  Kids are getting this amount of homework because of the pressure on schools to meet SOL's (standards of learning) and NCLB (No Child Left Behind) both are ridiculous federally mandated testing and benchmarks for schools and students. (then you add mainstreaming special needs and esol kids into the class-you eat up that much more of the time in the day)  It's a ridiculous cycle.  To keep up with the amount of work that is necessary teachers need to send home the extra work.  Thus causing the heavier backpack.  A simple complaint to the school is not going to change this.  If you are serious about the amount of work that is on these kids then you need to become involved and contact local, state and federal legislatures.  

In the meantime-get a backpack with wheels.

Answer 11

If her feet are too small to support all that weight then yes. You should get her a new bag.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 12

Yes! I think it's absolutely rediculous how much homework is given out in school these days, and I'm not just saying that because I am a student myself. If the backpack weighs about 20% of the person carrying it, something is wrong!

Answer 13

yes it is a concern. Either talk to the teacher to make it lighter or get her a bag on wheels

Answer 14

well, it could cause back problems.....

just get her a roller one

Answer 15

The news here did a story on that back at the beginning of the school year and you would be amazed at all the problems it can cause.  Back issues is at the top of the list as kids this young have no concept of what lift and carry right means, there was also reports of shoulder and neck problems as well as knee problems from the walking with the extra weight.  A child that is60 pounds has a hard time carrying anything that weighs 10 pounds and keeping balance so they keep trying to shift the weight of it and problems begin.  We went and got our kids the back packs that roll.  At first the school said no but when they were confronted with the facts they had to agree it was better for the kids.  I would talk to the teacher and ask why the big binder and books have to come home all the time couldnt it be a worksheet instead, maybe a small folder to bring homework home in and papers that need signed and the binder stays in the desk.

Answer 16

absolutely!  That is horrible on her spine!  The best thing for children, and even teenagers is the backpacks that look like little luggage's.  they make them even with characters and things on them for younger kids! I would get her one of those.

Answer 17

I HATE the weight of books they have to bring home - my HS son doesn't have a locker and I can't even pick up his backpack most days. I wish they would keep them in school an extra hour a day and abolish homework!

Answer 18

yes may cause back problems and her back my develop wrong. Tell the school about it and take things out of the backpack

Answer 19

Remove the papers, put them in a separate binder, and send the teacher a note saying they are to be left in school because of the weight.

I'd lay money the teacher doesn't even know your child is carrying them around, let alone "being mad" about them being removed.

Answer 20

I guess I'm in the same boat but my son is in high school (10th grade).   His backpack weighs 43  pounds.   5 textbooks, looseleaf binder, a novel and miscellaneous items all packed to the max in an oversized backpack.    I got him the biggest backpack I could find because these books need to come home everyday.   One more book and I would need to buy him a suitcase for school.   Last year he walked 2 miles every day to school like this but lately he's been taking a city bus.   The bus stop is like 5 blocks from my house but it's about 1/3 the distance compared to walking to the school.

Since your daughter has been complaining about the weight then I would try to get her a ride to school if you can't drive her yourself.    10 pounds is a lot for a kid who is only weighs 52 pounds.    It would be best to minimize the time she is carrying it.

My son initially had a backpack with wheels but it didn't take long before the wheel busted off and we had bought a couple of them.  That could be because of the excessive weight inside it and his long walk to school (lots of bumpy sidewalks).   He just went back to using traditional backpacks.   I told you my story because the heavy backpack situation will get worse (heavier) as she gets older.

You can do a google search on "children heavy backpacks".   There is quite a few articles on the topic since it's a very, very common problem.  The health problems that I read were neck, shoulder and back pain.    It was suggested to limit the weight of the backpack to be 10-20% of the child's body weight.

ETA:   When I was in school, there was no bringing books back and forth everyday.   The school had textbooks in the classroom.   The students could keep their textbooks at home for homework purposes.  It wouldn't be like the school had to buy another set of textbooks for the students neither.    For example,   if a student has a 1st period Algebra class then they can use the books still left in the classroom (about 30 in all).   The 2nd period Algebra class coming into that room can also use those same textbooks that were in the room.    The same textbooks can be used for 5 or 6 class periods in a school day.    In the evening, the kids would do their homework with the books that always stayed at home. The school  would only need to buy 20% more textbooks to make that work.    Besides schools often buy new textbooks anyway to get the most updated information from them.     This whole business of expecting kids to bring books back and forth is really ridiculous, unnecessary and not very healthy.