Best School Bags for Tween Boys

Middle school boys are notorious for the condition of their school bags. Tween organizational skills, in general, seem to be very lacking, and something that must be emphasized and followed frequently through middle school years. It does little good to tell a tween how to organize, and when unsatisfactory notices find their way to your mailbox, the first thing to examine is probably that book bag.

That said, fashion and school bags for middle school boys can be a bit tricky. This is a very cruel age, when it comes to peer responses, and so it's helpful not to provide your middle school son with a school bag that will create social stresses. Leave the characters and cartoons to elementary school kids, and get a sense first, for what your son likes, and secondly, for what is socially acceptable. It's easy to have our opinions, as parents, but I've been on both ends of the ignoring of social ramifications of parents' ideas.

The traditional school backpack is probably your safest selection, in choosing a middle school book bag. It's the most commonly used style, so it won't stand out and draw attention. My biggest frustration with the style is the tendency of kids to stuff their school materials in at the opening, with little attention to how it all fits together. Broken pencil pieces, wadded up pieces of paper, and assorted junk, cohabitate with books and binders.

A messenger bag seems more organizable, in that the flap opens, and books can be stored as in a file, horizontally. However, you need to be sensitive to current trends in your son's school, and if there is a stigma attached to the style, think about skipping it. If your son is in favor of the style, then by all means, go for it, but be sensitive to his resistance.

Sling backpacks, a one strap backpack style, are becoming popular, as well. Some are advertised as skate packs. Make sure that if this is to be your son's school book bag, though, that it has the capacity to handle the materials it is intended to transport. Consider the dimensions of the sling pack, and whether they would be conducive to holding several books, as well as gym clothes.

Sports bags are a side issue, for those middle school boys who intend to participate in athletics. A duffel bag is a great means of storing and transporting athletic clothes and shoes. In many cases, such a bag might also handle the academic materials. However, it's probably best to keep smelly gym clothes separate from school books. I've been in a classroom at the end of the school day, with a bunch of students fresh out of gym class, and the odor can be terrible! A sackpack, which is a lightweight drawstring bag, can serve as a separating tool, for holding a gym outfit.

At the tween stage, you will definitely want to include your son in the decision making process. This serves two purposes. The first is that he will be the one to convey his likes and dislikes. The second is that he will bear responsibility for his selection. I find that tweens can often change their mind about something, especially in the realm of fashion, after it's been bought and paid for. If it was their choice, however, then there is a logical consequence. The youngster can't blame Mom for the faults in a school bag if he is the one who just had to have it!