Well, 2017’s humid, languid, and especially hot summer is finally drawing to a close. As the nighttime temperatures start to feel more “autumn-y,” is your child getting the back to school sads? Well, a really cute new schoolbag might be the ideal retail therapy needed to get your kid in the right mood to hit the books. Check out these funny and downright outrageous bags available on your favorite Chinese retail sites.

Kitty Bag (RMB 69)
In a country full to the brim of cute kitty knapsacks, we find this one to be the cutest of all. Maybe it’s the simple line drawing making up it’s front paws, or it’s nonplussed expression, or it’s tiny, afterthought of a tail. It’s actually a three part combo move. A total cuteness knockout.

Forlorn Hippos (RMB 132) 
SUPERLOVER makes a great deal of hilarious back to school book bags, but we were especially charmed by this forlorn hippo. The front zippered pouch doubles as his mouth. Luckily for us, his favorite food is pencil cases. Check out their shop on Tmall.

Cool Kid Gear From Yizi (RMB 95)
“Tasteful” isn’t a word we frequently use for fast food motifs, but this bag from Yizi is somehow just that. Maybe it’s the restrained burger and fries combo on a black background? Yizi also offers the same print as a button down shirt (RMB 119), for those who dig that “matchy matchy” just-stepped-out-of-a-Tumblr-blog look.

Popcorn Bookbag (RMB 249) 
Popcorn! Need we say more? Bromen makes a whole line of popcorn themed accessories with a strong pop art feel and look. How about a popcorn purse? Or clutch? The bleary eyed horse mascot brings the ridiculous level up a thousand percent. 

Bag Within Bags (RMB 78) 
For those storage obsessed kids, this “bags on bags” backpack is pretty appropriate. Perfect to color coordinate every possible object you own, especially when coupled with a label maker. Otherwise you’ll be constantly asking: “is my eraser in the pink, grey or brown pouch?”

Photos: Taobao, Tmall, ncbtmb.org

It’s that most wonderful time of the year. No, not Christmas: the kids have finally gone back to school after the long summer holiday.

Don’t get us wrong – we love our little ones. But after nearly two months of having them under our feet all day long, this is how we feel as we wave them off with their backpacks and lunchboxes:

And the joy is not confined to parents. Drivers can get to work more easily as the roads aren’t clogged with moms hauling their kids to playdates, trampolining, or deserted back roads where they can abandon their offspring. Only teachers heave a deep sigh as the end of August approaches – unless they’re also parents, in which case they can at least look forward to different children whining at them all day long.

Kids in books spend the summer having adventures and catching criminals, but all mine want to do is sprawl on the sofa watching cartoons. The fact that this is how I spent my holidays at their age in no way justifies their unacceptable loafing.

“Get outside and play!” I bellow.

But after half an hour of mystifying and irritating our neighbours by playing cricket in the compound, they’re back, red-faced and sweaty, demanding cold drinks and arguing about who won.

“Can we watch TV?”

“No!”

Then comes the inevitable conversation all parents and kids have every summer:

“I’m. Bored.”

“Your room is full of toys, books and games. How can you be bored?”

In the UK the summer holidays are under constant attack from politicians, who see state schools as existing to provide childcare and train the future workforce in enduring tedium, while private education prepares their own children for leadership. They complain that the long break was originally intended to allow children to help bring in the harvest, and has no place in modern society. But they’re wrong. The great value of the long break is that by the end of it, the kids are so bored that even they are looking forward to the start of school.

Photos: www.boredpanda.com, www.wkyc.com