School Supplies

Why is it that every year I go out and buy school supplies for my child's entire class? Why does a 5th grader need 3 packages of #2 pencils? How many do they think he is going to use over the course of 9 months? I understand that there are some people who can't afford to buy their kids supplies, but there are school supply trains that you can donate to. If they want to keep it confidential so the kids are not embarrassed then there are ways to do it. I can't afford to pay $50 per kid for school supplies along with everything else we have to pay for. This year has not started yet but I already know I will be paying for lunches, $3 per kid for agenda's, $7 per kid for class t-shirts, Colton will need $75 for Rockin C Ranch, Taylor needed $31 for band stuff. None of this even mentions, hair cuts for school, shoes, clothes and Colton's birthday which is always right here when school starts. NOR does it incorporate the cost of flying the kids home from their dad's at the first of August. Wow looking at it, I spend at least $1000 in August just on the kids and school. No wonder we are broke all the time!