Times reporter (and first-time kindergarten mom) Dong-Phuong Nguyen headed to Target with her list of school supplies and found it's not so easy to get exactly what the schools say they want.

For example:

ITEM: 1 pair of Fiskars scissors, 5" blunt.

PROBLEM: I don't see Fiskars scissors. I see Target
scissors. There are scissors in every color. I spy a pair of blunt cut,
and the box says No. 5. Does No. 5 mean 5 inches? Or is it a fancy
name, like Chanel No. 5, but for scissors?

SOLUTION: Target brand scissors. If I'm right about
that whole Chanel thing, then these are just the equivalent of a
knockoff. And who doesn't love a cheap knockoff? (Note to self: remove
label.)

GRADE: F. It took 10 minutes to come to my solution. This could be a long day.

ITEM: one package of cap erasers, FOOHY brand

PROBLEM 1: For the love of God, there IS NO Foohy
brand. I am one-third of the way down my list and I haven't gotten a
single thing right!

SOLUTION: Grab plain old box of cap erasers, darn it all.

GRADE: Fooey!

To see Nguyen's full report on supply troubles, click here. And if you've shared her pain, tell your stories in our comments below. For our part, we've completely failed to find Elmer's white glue sticks at Target, Wal-Mart, Staples, Office Depot, Dollar Store and more. Any hints, anyone?

(Times photo of Nguyen's cute kindgerartener by Edmund D. Fountain)