The mystery of the Lost and Found box...

I'm sure most schools have a lost and found box or area designated for all items lost and all items found. I'm consistently amazed at the things I find in our school's box. Some of the stuff, I understand how you might not notice it is missing for awhile.

• Sweatshirts: sure, in this unpredictable climate of ours, you start out the day bundled up, you shed a layer, you forget about it. Most families have an assortment of sweatshirts, so if Johnny doesn't come home with one, you might not even miss it.
• Mittens: another easy one. You take them off to put in your backpack and you drop one. It is warm after school so you don't miss them. The next morning, you can't find it, but hey, who knows where you might have dropped it. Even I'm guilty of that charge.

And then we move into the gray area:

• lunch boxes. I sort of get that: maybe you forgot you brought lunch from home and thus leave your lunch box at school. But then the next morning, wouldn't Mom say "where's your lunch box?" As a mom, you might fall for the line Thing Two fed me last month: "Mommy, I think I accidently threw it away". MAYBE, but only after checking lost and found.

And now we move into the just plain UNEXPLAINABLE...

• Snow boots: but not a pair. Just one boot. If you wore two boots to school and come home with one, isn't it safe to assume your other boot might just be in the lost and found? Wouldn't you at least check? And if so, then why are there an assortment of single snow boots lining the base of the lost and found box.
• Jackets: I'm not talking Spring jackets or sweatshirts. I understand how those get left behind. But, your heavy winter coat. Maybe I'm just cheap, but we have only one heavy coat per person (maybe a spare could be located in the hand me down/going to goodwill box). But, for the most part, it is one per customer in this household. But, many of these jackets look brand new and are certain to be missed at home. At least I would notice if the Things didn't come home with their heaviest of winter jackets.
• Glasses: at least they don't toss the glasses into the box. But, the office ladies easily have 10 pairs sitting on the counter top. I understand how kids misplace the glasses, especially if they are not really liking their glasses or they don't notice a big difference whether they have them on or not. But, again, wouldn't the parents say "dude, where are your glasses? Did you check the office?". Several of these pairs have been there for the better part of the school year. I'm thinking that maybe next year when I screen the kids for their vision, and the same ones tell me "i forgot my glasses" or "I lost them", I should first march them up to the office and tell them to pick a pair, any pair! We might solve two problems at once: clearing off Ms. Liz's countertop AND helping Johnny/Sally pass their vision test.

So, I guess I will remain lost and confused when it comes to some of the mysteries of the school lost and found bucket....