Every school year, one of the first purchases you make for your child is a backpack. Despite all the discussions about the weight of books and notebooks that children are forced to tote daily, the burden remains as onerous as ever.
Strapping on a backpack is, of course, very much a student ritual, but ensuring that it is the right one for your son or daughter is your responsibility.
It needs careful consideration and involves negotiating carefully with the child to ensure the pack does not end up hurting his/her back. This choice can be very challenging - satisfying both the fashion-conscious child and the ergonomically-conscious parent.
The backpack has to fit the child perfectly. This involves finding a backpack which is proportional to your child's height and weight. First of all, the backpack should be about the same width as the child's shoulders and back. With respect to height, it should sit between the top of the shoulders and the back of the hips.
The lowest part of the bag should not hang more than four inches (10 cms) below the waistline, when fully loaded. Ensure that your child wears both the shoulder straps and that the straps are adjusted so that they stay snug but not too tight as this causes the backpack to stick above the shoulders, according to experts.
The next time your child asks for a backpack with lots of pockets, agree to get it. A divider allows the user to place heavier items closer to the body and supporting muscles. Pockets help organise the contents and distribute the weight evenly.
When buying a backpack, bigger is not necessarily better. The bigger the pack, the more stuff kids are going to carry - whether they need it for school or not.
Wearing a backpack that's too heavy or poorly adjusted can not only lead to poor posture but also neck pain, headaches, back pain, muscle strain, and in an extreme case, inflammation and nerve damage. A leading cause of these malaises is slinging a backpack on one shoulder or too high or too low.
When you go shopping for a backpack, bear these tips in mind: The backpack should be made of lightweight material with two adjustable shoulder straps, a waist belt appropriate to the size of the child as mentioned above. Always go shopping with your child so you can try on the available options for fit.
The load in a backpack should not be more than 10 per cent of a primary school student's body weight or 15 per cent of a secondary school student's weight. If the child needs to carry more material, he/she is better off carrying an additional bag.
There is a right way of hoisting backpacks on to one's back. The child should place the backpack on a table, bend his/her knees and lift it with his/her legs while putting on one shoulder strap at a time.
Periodically check with your child if the backpack is comfortable. If you find your child is toting extra books, negotiate with the teacher about what is strictly necessary.
Many parents fall into the trap of giving into the child's whims and fancies and buying a popularly-advertised backpack, which is not healthy. Rather than rudely asserting to the child that you are the boss and what you say goes, bargain that you'll get him/her a colourful lunch box or clothes as long as the backpack is the one you choose.
The backpack is perhaps the most important investment you will make in your child's school or college year, so do it wisely and do it well.