Kelsey is heading off to Kindergarten this September. It will be a completely new experience for both of us and I want her to be safe. I know I need to label everything, but do I put her full time and address. I worry because if someone out there was watching her, they could find our house.

What should I do to label her school items so if they do get lost they can be returned but still keep it PRIVATE. Also, has anyone else seen the preprogrammable cell phone for little kids. Has anyone else used it?

I didn't worry this much with her at Daycare since everything was passcode protected, but with the society we live into I want to be extra careful and know that I did everything I could to keep her safe.

I'd put first name, last initial, teacher's name. That will be enough to get any lost items back to your student.

"If lost, please return to *name of school/classroom*."

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lets say her name is cindy smith put cindy s. and the grade it will get back to her.. as for back pack lunch boxes i label on the inside only no where on the outside.

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SILENCE IS GOLDEN BUT DUCK TAPE IS SILVER.

Let me start by saying that our last name is not common, so what I do works. We live in a very small school district also.
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I just put last our last name on school items. If you have a common last name or a larger school dist, you could put first and last name.......I make sure to label (or initial) each part of a school supply too. I actually label the glue stick and put the initials on the lid.......name on actual marker, initials on cap.

Last name on the part of the backpack that would be against your child's back when it is on her. Last name inside lunchbox.

Honestly, I do not worry about getting school things back if they are lost (other than if it is dropped in the classroom...that is where the last name thing comes into play).....if a pencil or crayon type thing is lost, no one in this society will make the attempt to return it to the owner (not to mention that those items can be purchased very inexpensively). Yep, it does cost to buy it, but not worth the "security risk" that you are mentioning.

I would not worry about getting her a cell phone we have to learn to let go and let them slowly leave the nest......it is hard, but necessary!!!!!!

before you lable everything make sure with the teacher of what gets labeled some teachers have the supplies as shared etc there are some things they lable and others they do not.

Backpack I have all the info inside the backpack as to not let strangers see names and such. School is safe!

Cell phone is not needed. I actually think schools frown upon them in the school.

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One brand name of cellhone you're thinking of is FireFly. However, cellphones aren't necessary.

I'd NEVER mark my child's first name on anything. The last thing you want is a stranger to see their first name and say, "Hi Cookie. Remember me? I'm a friend of your mommy's. She asked me to pick you up today." Of course the child will not remember but since the stranger knows their first name, they'd be sucked into the con.

If you feel compelled to mark anything, simply put your phone number. Use your cellphone if you're afraid someone will use the reverse look-up to get your address.

When DD went to camp, they told us to mark everything. Since some of the items were things I'd probably resell or give away, I didn't want our name on them. I simply came up with a unique looking symbol and marked her stuff with that. She knows her symbol, she can identify her own stuff.

When it came to items going to kindergarten - lunchbox, coat - I didn't bother to mark anything.

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I also never put my child's first name on anything either as it's safer not to. And it helps that our last name is one NO ONE else around here has so it's easy to simply put that on everything.

And I LOVE the idea of a symbol as well! Some things our long Polish name won't fit so a symbol is a great solution!

Gotta love those unique names!

My oldest dd finished k this past year, and all I labeled were her lunchbox and backpack. I only put her three initials. I like the idea of a symbol, though. MY dad has always used two letters, BX, as his label letters, figuring not many people have the initials BX.

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~Jenn~

I never labled any of my kids things. They know which are theirs and which aren't. They have their own cubbies or lockers (when they get older).