MemorableGifts.com Enlightens Parents on the Risks of Personalized School Supplies

SANTA MONICA, Calif., – August 24, 2011 - It's that time of the year when kids and parents are getting geared up to go back to school. There is a significant spike in the sale of school supplies around this time every year, as most kids wish for a brand-new backpack, an attractive lunch bag or a pencil set to add some excitement to their school routine. A new trend that's making kids look forward to going back to school is personalized school supplies. Several companies and online stores that offer personalized gifts and school accessories, also allow parents to personalize their kids' bags, shirts, gear, water bottles, and even pencil sets. While personalization of school supplies might help parents in making their kids feel thrilled about the idea of resuming school, it has a downside.

According to Los Angeles based MemorableGifts.com, it might put your child's safety in jeopardy. "It was a conscious decision to not include personalized school supplies in our collection at MemorableGifts.com. We have been extremely selective about our categories of products and customized gifts for kids. Although initially the idea of supplying personalized school items seemed quite lucrative, after some brainstorming, we came to the conclusion that a child's name personalized on his/her shirt or backpack makes them more vulnerable. I am a father and I wouldn't feel comfortable sending my kids to school with their personal information so out there and their identity being disclosed to everyone outside the school campus", according to the CEO of MemorableGifts.com.

Records by U.S. Justice Department reveal that 1.3 million children are reported missing or lost per year and 2000 children go missing every day. Child abduction has always been a serious issue and till date remains the number one concern among parents. Personalized school supplies might look adorable on kids, but whether they are responsible for making kids easily traceable on social networks, attracting child predators, inviting bullying from peers, or compromising their safety is a debatable topic and definitely something to think about.

Raffi Dermenjian, CEO of MemorableGifts.com further stated, "We constantly warn our children not to talk to strangers and we show them ways to be safe out there, but then we hand them their backpacks personalized with their name! There is a thin line between personalization and advertisement. Putting your kid's name on his school gear is advertising and can prove dangerous. As a company that advocates personalized gifts, we feel that parents should be made aware of the pitfalls of personalizing school supplies. It's our responsibility to protect the identity of our children."