The school supply thing is just an annual complaint. I personally think school teachers should give us the lists early, and write the list out in a clearer manner (5 of this kind of note book, 2 of that kind of pen). They write it like for this class you need this...and then for that class you need that. Everything is very specific, and you "must " get the details correct! It takes me hours to go through the list(s). It takes hours to label every pen and pencil. One year I ran to the store 4 different times for the "correct paper" for Nicole. They use different lined paper for every grade....crazy! It's just part of the job! The only real problem I have is teachers act like everyone only has one child (and most Germany's really do only have one child). When you have 5 kids, and they expect you to make it to every parent night, school party and festival, sports festival etc...it gets hard. We say no allot. With all the school stuff, we also have music classes, sports stuff, and church stuff. We aren't being bad parents, we just can not let every ones plans run our life. I figured out along time ago they can have their festivals with out me...I choose my activities, I must choose! I think my marriage and family would fall apart from the stress of keeping up with every ones "special" activities. I'm not the kind of person that likes my calendar full every day of the week. Maybe that's just my age. I'm going to be 46 years old next month. My poor kids really should have chosen younger parents. We just don't have the energy anymore to "do it all"! Know one should feel sorry for my kids. They still get to travel the whole world. They manage to fit a few "special" activities in now and then.