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'Book wrapping is the bane of my existence. This year I'm outsourcing it.'

BIG W
Thanks to our brand partner, BIG W

My kids go to a school where covering their books in contact is essential. I have often wondered if this is in fact a requirement of the board of studies, the school itself, or if its some sort of test to ascertain just what kind of parenting my kids are actually receiving.

Try as I might, mastering a roll of adhesive plastic is not part of my skill set. When in my life was I supposed to learn the secret contact business? They didn’t offer it as an elective when I was at school and I don’t remember it being on subject selection when I went to uni. How has the system missed providing me the covert covering knowledge? Just what kind of book covering contact voodoo do I need to get it right?

After more than a decade on my hands and knees, scissors and books in hand I still can’t make contact. Honestly, I would have more luck contacting the dead. Every year I create unique patterns in the front of my kid’s books, where the contact sticks together in long rivulets, bubbles and bumps. It always looks like a five year old has done it. On the upside the kids can always tell what subject their book is for by just running their hands over the cover, kind of like a personalised form of braille.

I have five children. You’d think by now I’d be Queen of Contact. Instead I am the woman on the floor wondering how you can have a high IQ but no actual real hands on skills for anything practical. It’s something I hide with well-packed lunchboxes and an extra-special flourish at the Easter hat parade, but the real tell on my failure to provide a bump-free childhood is right there on the cover of my books. And yes, as it turns out you can judge a book by its cover!

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"Every year I create unique patterns in the front of my kid’s books, where the contact sticks together in long rivulets, bubbles and bumps." Image via Getty.

My kids tell me that some of their friend’s mums can actually cover books without creating a topographic map. I don’t trust those women. They must be robots! It hasn’t stopped me trying, and while I fail year in and year out to get the contact smooth, there has been the odd benefit. Like last year when I did the contacting in my bikini after a swim at the pool and gave myself an impromptu wax.

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But listen up my contact challenged friends! There is a solution! Big W is providing us with sticky salvation!

Literally me at Big W. via GIPHY

If you shop at Big W, then you can use their free magical contact service. Yes! Big W will cover YOUR children’s books with contact. For free.

It’s like they heard my cry in the wilderness – when I fell to my knees and cried "Who? Who? Who can cover books in contact? HELP".

So, on the weekend before school gets back, Saturday, January 27 and Sunday, January 28, find your happy place at the contacting station where Big W covers your books for you.

Yes! Imagine, smooth, bubble-free books. And the extra time and effort saved from outsourcing the plastic battle...only to have more time to get the rest of those last-minute back-to-school bits and bobs.

I may not be a perfect mum, but my kids will get perfect books. Thank you Big W for covering my inadequacies with the ultimate contact visit.

Now, finally, when my kids go back to school, I’m going to be known as a smooth operator.

Find out more about Big W's back-to-school offerings here.

Tell us...have you conquered the fine art of book covering? Got a hack we need to know about? Share below!

This content is created with thanks to our brand partner Big W.