My Son Vs Mead

Mead makes good quality school supplies.  There's no arguing with me on that point.  Teachers would not specifically ask for Mead products if they weren't good quality.  (How else would I have found out about the 5 Star Flex binders?)  Mead has been around for a long time.  They have excellent custom service.  (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2017/03/customer-relations.html) I have no beef with Mead.  (And no, I don't work for them or get compensated by them in any way!)

With that said, when it comes to my son, Mead needs to cede its claim on the 5 Star Flex that it lasts all year guaranteed.  Even their high quality product is no match for my tween boy.  

For the 2nd year in a row he's broken a binder.  And you know when I heard about it right???

But before we go there, let me give some background information.  In the summer, during the back to school sales, I purchased 4 (yes 4!) Mead 5 Star Flex binders (5 subject).  Each in different colors for each different subject.  (And I bought high quality folders to match.  None of those paper folders for my kid...even at 10 cents a folder, it pays to invest in the heavy duty plastic ones so that they have a fighting chance to make it through the year.  Notice that I didn't say they WOULD make it through the year, but they WOULD last more than a week or two.  And yes, I always buy more than I need because you KNOW what's going to happen during the year!) As of this writing, three of those four are still in usable condition.  (That does not mean that they haven't been partially broken.  Mean mom that I am, if one of the three rings breaks, he STILL has to use it.)  So maybe that is a win for Mead?

 But the other day, my son came home with ALL THREE broken (how's that for a record?) and the declaration: "Mom, I need a new notebook for literacy."

To his credit, he went digging in the school supply drawer(s) in the family desk. (Maybe I'm not as well stocked as Staples, but I do carry extra folders, lined paper, composition books and...Darn!  That reminds me that I need to buy more #2 pencils for my "inventory.")  He did come up with a plastic covered notebook that RESEMBLED a Mead (but was not).  He took it and all was right with the world.

Or was it?

Last night at 8:50 PM, when I am in my jammies and climbing into bed...do I need to say more?

The notebook that he used/brought it was no deemed acceptable by the teacher.  You know what I'm thinking here, right?  In her defense (because she's a nice lady and a tough, but fair teacher), it wasn't the fact that the new notebook wasn't a Mead, but that it wasn't a three ring binder.  It was spiral (although you couldn't tell that from the cover.)  She's given him till Friday to correct the situation.

I thought about it for a moment.  Our local Staples is open till 9.  I COULD have made it.  But my hair was wet and I was in my pjs.  My son was in his pjs and in bed.  (Not ready for sleeping, but in bed.)   I thought about it some more.  I reluctantly went downstairs and checked the supply drawer again.  I really did think we had another Mead 5 Star Flex hiding there.  And we did.  But it was the broken one from last year.  (Why was I hanging on to the broken one?  This is not a question I was prepared to answer last night.)  Tossed it out and went back upstairs, but not to bed.

Instead I got back on the computer to check out Staples on line.  I checked opening times for a variety of locations.  Most of them open at 8.  I am supposed to be in my office at 9.  (Although I tend to get in a good half hour or more most days since I have to drop the kid off at school around 7:30 for music classes, which is "period 0" at school:  AKA:  class before the school day officially starts.)

I'm sure you can guess what I did this morning BEFORE work.  I dropped my son and his friend off at school at 7:35.  I passed by my local Staples.  I made my way through local traffic.  I got on the highway.  I slowed down and speed up as traffic ebbed and sometimes flowed.  At 7:50, I got off at the shopping center about 4 miles away from my office building.  I pulled into a parking space and waited.  I checked my email.  I listened to some music.  I watched as the employees opened the locked gates.  And at 7:58, I walked into the store, inquiring as to where I could find the Mead 5 Star Flexs.  (Aisle 7 if you wanted to know.)  I found three of the ones I was looking for which corresponded with what the website said the location had in stock. I grabbed 2 of the 3, paid for them (although the manager did have to wait a minute for the register to boot up!) and was back in my car by 8:08!  Was this mom rocking it or what?  (Shout out to the Clifton Staples for opening on time, having friendly and knowledgeable staff AND getting me in and out quickly!)

Tonight my son can chose which one he wants to use for the rest of the year (fingers crossed...maybe it will even make it to the 2018-2019 school year!) and I will have another back up in my "inventory" because you know come July/August when it is school supply time, I will be shelling out again for new Mead 5 Star Flexes.  While I may bitch about the cost (they aren't cheap) and I do dispute their claim that they can make it through the year, I do think, in general, that they are the best made out there.  After all...3 out of 4 ain't bad.  (Maybe they should call it the 3 Star Flex?  What do you think Mead?)