Backpack vs. Chindsgitäschli

redplaydoh wrote: Here's the dilema...

Kids in kindergarten here go to school with a Chindsgitäschli (see link below for an example).

Lucas has a perfectly good backpack he used for Spielgruppe that still looks brand new.

My SIL wants to buy a Chindsgitäschli for him since she's his Godmother.

I obviously don't know where to buy one and the few that I've found are really expensive IMO.

Do I tell her that he'll just use his backpack and let her buy him something he needs later on?

Do I tell her about the two places I've seen that have them but warn her about the price?

It won't work to ask her where to shop for them because I've tried that, she only suggested one place and that was a privately owned toy store and they don't have designs that would interest him simoly because he doesn't know the characters that they're based on. (And I don't think they are very cute myself).

Do I offer to pay the difference from what she planned to spend to get him one that is more suited to him? I have no idea what she wants to spend but I know it can't be this much.

I think it's kind of silly to spend so much on a small bag for Kindergarten but she says it is a very important thing to kids here to get their first Chindsgitäschli.

Can little ones as young as Lucas feel left out if they don't have one?

Aaaargggghhhhhh.... I hate this.

http://waldmeier.net/createlier/
Click on the red bag with the white Swiss cross on it. Then under Kindertasche / Chindsgitäschli click on "hier gehts zu den Taschen" to see a sample of what I'm talking about. These aren't the ones I found at the store but are just to give you an example.

luvmykids replied: OK I'm confused Is she wanting to send the money and have you get it, or does she want to pick it out but you know he won't like it? I guess I'm confused on the importance of it, I apologize for my lack of culture

I suppose if it is like Kindergarten here where everyone has new lunchboxes and backpacks, he could feel left out for being different, but on the other hand if his backpack is something he really likes (Steve McQueen, for example LOL) he may very well want to use it instead.

I think I'd feel him out and then talk to her, if she insists and he doesn't want one just tell her that although you really appreciate her gesture he is set on using his backpack but he would love a new such and such.

Just curious, how much do they cost? I couldn't tell what was the price. I'm guessing you're picking up on the language if you were on that site

redplaydoh replied:
She wants to buy it for him, (she live here btw) but the one she's looking at is from a character called Felix. I'm not sure if he's known in the US because I only heard about him since I've been here. Felix is a brown rabbit and with a red plaid background. It is common-ish that the Godparents buy their bag for Kindergarten.

Here's a picture of something with him on it. Actually in the picture he's carrying a candy cone which is a cone shape filled with candies that the kids here carry on their first day of school. Felix

Felix is *ok* but he's just not my favorite simply because I don't know the stories and everyone seems to have Felix stuff. Her and her kids really like Felix but Lucas doesn't know it at all and never has been drawn to the Felix products when he sees them in stores. Felix was just one that she mentioned but she'd be receptive to other choices I'm sure.

We were at a store over the weekend and they had several handmade kindergarten bags. Lucas first picked a pirate, then saw a Mickey Mouse type bag, then seemed to settle on one with dinosaurs. But there were so many for him to pick from... they were about $45 if I do the currency conversion. There was another store that had some adorable ones but they were $80 and handmade as well.

I just don't see the sense in spending so much money on a LITLE bag when he has a nice sized backpack that really looks new. But, I don't know if he'll feel left out or different if he doesn't get the Kindergarten bag that is more traditonal here. I want to suggest that she get the bag for him but I don't know about asking her to spend that much money on one... I think the Felix bag is about 20 bucks less than the ones he's chosen. Should I offer to pay the difference or do I need to get him period?

hoosier momma replied: It seems like this kindergarten bag is very traditional and all of the kids will have one. I think I would go ahead and get one and save the backpack for next year. Maybe if you get one that he really likes he can use it later for other things. I would definitely let him pick and if it is more than your SIL wants to spend I would offer to cover the difference. Although I would steer him toward something a little less than $80.

gr33n3y3z replied: I'm a little lost here
Isnt a back pack a back pack?
Do they have to have a animal on them or a design?

redplaydoh replied:
His current one is an ordinary back pack. The Chindsgitäschli is closer described as a purse, worn over one shoulder resting against the hip. It's made to carry their snack to school basically...

Here's another example, scroll half-way down the page and you'll see a girl with one.
http://www.art71.ch/taschenkollektion/chindsgitaeschli.htm

Btw... this is the brand of the ones he was looking at but they don't have pictures of the one(s) he really liked.

They don't have to have a design/animal but most of them do because they are designed for kids.

Cece00 replied: So they are like messenger bags, right? As far as I can tell. If its a tradition, you should let her get one. She should let Lucas picks out the one HE wants though.

grapfruit replied:
I like the ones w/fur on them


I agree w/everyone else, if it's tradition, then let him participate. But definatly let him pick it out, otherwise he might not WANT to take it to school.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: It's good you put the 2nd link on - because the first one wasn't working for me!

I crochet those. I make them in any color requested provided I can find the right thread... and I make all kinds of designs on them.



Here are some examples of the bags that I have actually made over the last few years.

http://www.lulu.com/content/145602

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTsatchel.html

http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/lucca/lucca.html

http://www.crochetme.com/Oct_Nov_2004/patt_brown_sugar.html

http://www.crochetmemories.com/archive/june2.html

http://homepage.mac.com/coxsalida/Personal22.html

http://members.tripod.com/~CroBear/purse.html

http://www.crochetme.com/reduction-tote-bag

http://www.geocities.com/bluewillowcandy/r...mosaictote.html

http://crochet.about.com/library/bl1917she....htm?once=true&

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/Tropica...tote%20bag.html

luvbug00 replied: i like the messanger style bag thing. we had those as kids too and then backback came later.

CantWait replied:
Same here, but quite frankly I thought that bag was hideous. However I agree, if it's tradition, let him participate. Chances are that bag is going to get dirty anyway from snacks and crumbs, paint etc....
He can still use his backpack when you go out as a family for toys, snacks, whatever.

As for whether you split the price, I'd say if you really want to find him a design that is more suited to him and it's more expensive then what his Godmom is willing to spend them you should definetly take up the difference.

gr33n3y3z replied: yes I know what your talking about now
They have those in many sizes here for foods to book bags