Not a layette question, but everyone here knows something

[tigalig]

so I thought I would ask if any of you purchase handkerchiefs for your sons? Our DS (now 3.6) is starting preschool this month (sniff, sniff) and I want him to carry a handkerchief. Part of me thinks that I'm being a snob, but the fact is that he uses tissues to clean his nose throughout the day (we keep tissue boxes in his room, throughout the house, in the car) and I'd hate to have him use his hands (or sleeves) should he need a tissue and the preschool have none. So . . . where do I find handkerchiefs for my growing boy? I told him I would put a tissue in his pocket, but I hope to find something more "permanent" soon. I need at least three so that he can have a fresh one every day and give me time to wash, etc. TIA.

[lukkykatt]

I don't know anything about handkerchiefs, but... every preschool I've been to has tissues all over the place. I don't think you'll have a problem with their being none around. Have you seen the layout of the school to know what their situation is? Most preschools don't want children running around with runny noses...

[tigalig]

You're right . . . I'm sure they have tissue boxes and would not let him run around dripping. My concern is that he doesn't have a runny nose that often; he likes to scratch his nose with a tissue (and I'm not kidding when I say that I didn't teach him that) and is mildly compulsive about keeping his hands clean. I think the teachers may get tired of his requests for tissue. Oh well, I'll keep searching for a smaller-sized masculine or gender-neutral handkerchief.

[parkersmama]

Hmmm. I don't know. I don't think I've ever seen child-sized hankerchiefs. Our preschool has tissues readily available for the kids and I don't think they actually have to ask for tissue...I think they are okay to just get up and get one. If the teacher asks, he can just tell her he needs a tissue and it'll probably be fine. Most preschools ask parents to donate things like tissues, wipes, snacks, etc. so you can just send more boxes of tissues if it helps to assuage your guilt! ;)

[C99]

Vintage stores, eBay, places that specialize in vintage linens. I have 3 child-sized handkerchiefs myself, and several more adult-sized ones. All were vintage and there is a huge market for NIB/deadstock vintage hankies, so even if you don't like the idea of buying used or second-hand handkerchiefs, you should be able to find something that suits that hasn't been used.

[RJPO]

I used to send my daughter to school with a handkerchief when she had the sniffles. They were either floral print hankies I bought years ago at Liberty of London, or vintage hankies from eBay with her first initial on them.

Eventually her kindergarten teachers asked her to use Kleenex instead -- I think they thought that the hankies, cute as they were, were somehow unhygienic or more likely to spread germs than tissues would. Now I just stick those individual packs of Kleenex in one of her sweater pockets, although her school (and her preschool for that matter) is always fully stocked with boxes of the stuff.

Rachel
mom to
Mary India, born 6/21/98
James Jolyon, due 3/23/05