For Christmas, the Mini-Yin received the same Jansport backpack model I sported over 30 years ago. This would have been an unlikely coincidence had I not added the backpack to his holiday gift list. Seeing the backpack hanging in his closet evokes acute nostalgia for my high school years.

His current backpack has held up well all throughout elementary school (K-5th). The new one will likely take him all the way through high school. I will credit Mrs. Principled Curmudgeon with steering me towards (initially) spending more for quality items. In the long run, buying quality ends up costing less. That’s math I can get behind.