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Dear Mr. Dad: My 13-year-old son's backpack weighs a ton (actually, 25 pounds, but it feels like a ton), and I'm afraid he's going to hurt himself hauling it around. You've talked about the dangers of overloaded packs before, but as far as I can tell, backpacks don't seem to be getting any smaller. I suggested that he get a wheelie backpack, but he just rolled his eyes and says it's not cool. I want to talk to the school administrators about this problem but need some facts to back me up. Please help.
A: Every year, a month or so into the new school term, I get similar emails from parents all over the country who, like you, are worried about their kids' backpacks. And, as you've pointed out, not much seems to be changing, which continually puzzles me, since more and more schools are switching to digital or cloud-based textbooks. Nevertheless, backpacks are still too heavy, and kids are getting injured.
How big is the problem? Consider this:
So what can you do?
Follow Armin Brott on Twitter, @mrdad, or send email to armin@mrdad.com.
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