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Back to School 2012

Contents

Creative Clothes Shopping for Back to School .................................................................. 1

How to Plan Back to School Shopping ................................................................................. 3

Top Tips for Back-to-School Shopping with a Picky Teen ........................................... 5

Money-Saving Ideas for School Supply Shopping ........................................................... 7

Making the Grade: Back to School Shopping with Your Grade School Child ....... 9

Getting Ready - Top Tips for Preparing and Organizing for Back to School..... 11

The Pros and Cons of Sending Your Child to Preschool ............................................ 13

Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten ............................................................................ 16

How Parents Can Help with the Emotional Challenges of Transitioning ........... 18

Middle School: Tips for Helping Your Child Adjust ..................................................... 20

Adjusting to High School: How Older Siblings Can Help Younger Ones ............. 22

Creative Clothes Shopping for Back to School

It's that time of year again - the kids are going to be heading back to school, and they need new outfits. Many times, it's because they've outgrown last year's clothes. Other reasons include changing fashion trends and tastes. Regardless of the reasons, your kids are going to need new clothes before heading back to school. Are there any other options besides the traditional retail shops? Is there a way to go about this creatively?

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The answer is yes. Here are some creative options for back-to-school clothes shopping.

Take Stock

Do your kids come to you complaining that they have "nothing to wear"? It's pretty doubtful that they really have nothing; it just seems like nothing. Take some time to assess your kids' wardrobes and really discern what they have. Chances are, you're going to find some decent clothes that fit that can be worn again. They might even be clothes that have been so long forgotten that they will seem new again!

Break out the Needle and Thread

If you can sew, now is the time to get your sewing machine out. (And if you can't sew, maybe now is a good time to learn!) You can recycle old clothes artfully with some well-places stitches. For example, let hems out or cut and hem worn-out pants to make shorts. If you can do some needlework, you can get creative and cover stains and small holes on clothes that otherwise fit fine.

Give Old Outfits a New Look

While you are going through the bureaus and closets of your kids, try to mix and match and put together new outfits. You can create a whole new look by mixing and matching, especially if your child has items in similar or neutral colors.

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Shop for Used Clothes

Watch for consignment sales in your area, and since it's the end of summer, keep an eye out for yard sales. It's amazing what you can find at these second-hand options, sometimes even name-brand clothes that kids really like. While you're shopping creatively for used clothes, don't forget the internet. Yard sales are moving online these days, so take advantage of the local and larger groups selling used items online.

Watch for Sales

Of course, watching for sales keeps your clothing bill lower; but if you watch for sales creatively, you can combine these events with some of the above options to create a whole new wardrobe for the school year.

How to Plan Back to School Shopping

Planning is the best way to get the most for your time and money. And when it comes to back to school spending, the goal is often to do it as quickly and as cheaply as possible. While it may seem too soon to start thinking about back to school shopping, it is right around the corner. Planning now will save you later.

Take a Look at What You Usually Spend

Take a look at your bank and credit card statements for the past few years to assess how much you usually spend. This information will help you set a budget for your children this year. Remember that school materials and supplies should be included in the budget along with clothing.

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Take a Look at Your Current Budget

It’s quite possible that your financial situation is different than it was last year. Take a look at your current budget. How much can you afford to spend on back to school shopping this year? You may be able to spend more or you may have to spend less.

Additionally, knowing how much you spent last year can help you make good budgeting decisions this year. For example, if you know you spent $300 last year and can only afford $200 this year, you may be able to shift a few things in your monthly budget to find that extra $100.

Make a List of What You Need

How much have your children grown? What clothing do they need and what do they want? Make a list of the items they need and start prioritizing. Ask your children to get involved in this process. They can try last year’s clothing on and let you know which items they want to keep and which items are no longer appropriate.

What Stores Will You Visit?

As it gets closer to that inevitable shopping day, consider taking your child to thrift stores. Many used clothing stores sell brand name items that are in ideal condition. If your children are brand conscious, they may enjoy being able to purchase more for their money while still looking cool.

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Give Them Cash

One of the best ways to stick to your budget and your shopping plan is to hand the budgeted amount to each child. Children have a tendency to go overboard when they’re shopping. They find that one brand name sweatshirt and spend half of their budget on it. Then they cry a few weeks later when they’re forced to wear the same shirt over and over again. They make much smarter buying decisions when they get to hold the cash in their hand. They tend to want to get more for their money – it almost becomes a game for them.

Decide when to Go

Finally, set the date. You can save a lot of money if you go school shopping about a month after school starts. Items go on sale and children are able to buy what the cool kids are wearing at school at a much lower price. If they absolutely must have a new outfit for school, then buy one outfit for that first day and then commit to taking them shopping in a few weeks when things go on sale.

Top Tips for Back-to-School Shopping with a Picky Teen

You know how it is - you need to do the back-to-school shopping, but your teen is so picky you don't know how you'll get through it. Teens certainly can be picky; peer expectations and their own personal tastes can combine to make them hard to please. Here are some tips for back-to-school shopping with your picky teen.

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Let Them Shop

This doesn't mean you should give your teen you credit card and drop him or her off at the mall for a few hours! Actually, there is a method to letting your picky teen do his or her own back-to-school shopping, and it can be a positive learning process. Here's how it works.

Go Through Their Things

With your teen, go through her clothes and determine what she really needs. Get rid of only those clothes that can't be repaired or are stained permanently, then work on mixing and matching what's left. Then determine what clothes she needs and make a specific list.

Budget

Once you both understand what's necessary, you can make a budget for those items. Determine what you are willing to pay for each piece of clothing, total it up, and then give your teen the money. Once it's spent, no more - be firm on this one! You may want to accompany her on this shopping trip to help point out bargains and such, but the point is, she is in charge of planning her purchases and spending the money.

Good Lessons

While you're doing all this, think of the good life lessons you'll be teaching your teen. Your teen will learn how to budget his money, and will get a no-frills introduction into the world of financial planning. Remember, once the money is gone, he is not getting any more, so he will have to plan out how he

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is going to divide up the money to get all the items he wants. Your teen may also be motivated to shop for things on sale or things at second-hand shops once he realizes how much the things he wants actually cost.

Consider letting your teen keep any money that's left, too. Having a little extra spending money can be a great motivator to find bargains!

Go for Re-Sale

Even picky teens can usually find something at a consignment shop or second-hand store. Name brands are not necessarily hard to come by at these places, and if your teen has a flare for individuality, she might be able to put together a stunning outfit with second-hand clothes and accessories.

Money-Saving Ideas for School Supply Shopping

Whether we like it or not, school supplies can get expensive. From clothes to pencils, it can cost a bundle to send your kids back to school. There are some things you can do, though, to make it less financially painful. Here are some money-saving ideas for school supply shopping.

What's Shared and What's Not

Back when you were in school, your school supplies were yours, and usually consisted of pencils, pens, notebooks and binders, and paper. The school provided things like dry erase markers, paper towels, and chalk. Schools are cutting their budgets these days, though, so you may find yourself buying supplies that will be shared. Check your local school system's website or give

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them a call and find out what supplies will be pooled and which ones will belong to your student.

Save on the Shared Items

If you know an item is going to be shared with the whole class, such as binders or dry erase markers, skip the fancy ones. Go with the more generic, cheap types.

Speaking of Sharing...

Consider buying items in bulk with a group. Find other parents and families who can go in with you to purchase supplies. They tend to be much cheaper in bulk, and buying large amounts and dividing them up can help save some money.

Coupons

Look for coupons on manufacturer's and retailer's websites, and check your local newspaper. Combine the coupons with existing sales, and be willing to move on to the next retailer for the next sale rather than buying all your items at one place.

No Sales Tax

Many areas have a "no sales tax" day when you can buy items without this added tax. This is a good time to buy anything big, such as a small fridge for

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your college student, or electronics. The bigger the item, the more you save on sales tax. (This is another good time to buy in bulk with friends and family.)

Don't Forget the Dollar Store

Do you have a store where "everything's a dollar"? If so, go there! You might be able to find a lot of school supplies for a fraction of what you'd pay at a major retailer.

Start Early

There are a couple of advantages to starting your back-to-school shopping early. For one thing, you are more likely to get the supplies you want and need while stock is still plentiful. Another advantage to starting early is the sale prices. May stores have school supplies discounted early, while it's still in the middle of summer.

Making the Grade: Back to School Shopping with Your Grade School Child

It's that time of year! Your child needs school supplies and clothes. Where do you start? How do you pay for it all? Here are some tips for making the grade with your grade school kid this year.

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Dressed for Success

Your grade school child may not have the picky tastes of a teenager, but he or she is going to need some new clothes this year. Go through last year's clothing and find out what fits and what doesn't. This includes shoes, socks, and underwear, too. Grade school kids can grow really fast! Here are some more ideas for clothes shopping with your grade school child.

Plan your shopping trip for a day when you don't have to rush, and when you don't have anything planned the night before. Being rested and ready helps everyone's mood, and so does being able to take your time.

Call the school where your child will be attending and make sure there aren't any changes to the dress code. If your child will be attending this school for the first time, then find out what the dress code is.

Keeping it simple helps a lot. Depending on his (or her) age, he will be better able to dress himself as the year goes on. Having easy-to-fasten clothes can help a lot to facilitate this process. Tough buttons (or lots of buttons), lacings, belts, and small head-holes can make dressing a frustrating experience. Go for clothes with large head-holes, zippers, and easy (and few) buttons.

School Supplies

Moving on to school supplies - like the clothes, it's a good idea to check with your school and teacher to find out what specifics might be required. Some teachers specify brands, colors, and so forth. Here are some other tips for shopping for school supplies with your grade school child.

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Go generic on writing items like pens and pencils. Getting fancy, unique writing implements only leads to competition in the classroom and the possibility that your child's fancy pens will get stolen. Unless the teacher requires otherwise, go with standard #2 pencils.

Markers should be water-based, and crayons are usually needed in packs of 16. Consider a box to store and carry these small, easily-lost items.

Erasers are always needed in grade school. A large, pink eraser like you had in school is a good purchase. Some erasers that fit on the ends of pencils are inexpensive additions, too.

Your child's school may not supply paper like they did in the old days. Find out from your teacher/school if you need to supply ruled (lined) paper, which will differ from teacher to teacher and grade to grade.

Notebooks come in many forms. Your grade school child will probably need some spiral-bound ones as well as some binders. Think slim and trim so the notebooks fit in your child's desk, no matter what type is required.

You also might want to purchase some dividers or pocket folders to help your child stay organized.

Getting Ready - Top Tips for Preparing and Organizing for Back to School

Maybe last year, you got a little tired of books and papers all over the place. And perhaps the kids weren't getting their homework done before bedtime.

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Was studying getting done? Did everyone make their appointments and scheduled extracurricular activities? Were your kids prepared for the first day of school last year?

Chances are, you can see room for improvement in your preparation and organization for the school year...and your kids probably agree. Here are some tips for preparing and organizing for back to school that may help.

Get Ahead of the Game

You're reading this article, so you're probably already ahead of things! Staying that way can help a lot in preparing and organizing for the upcoming year. Look out for school supplies when you are out doing your regular shopping - pencils, pens, notebooks, etc. often go on sale as stores clean out their inventories in preparation for the upcoming year. Go ahead and buy them at the discounted price and keep a school supply stockpile.

While you are getting ahead, think about clothes. Grab good deals for out-of-season clothes as you are running your regular errands. A lot of getting ahead is a mindset - just always be on the lookout for back to school stuff, even when it's June and you aren't in the mood!

Take Inventory

Like the stores, now is a good time to take inventory of what you have. It can be quite an eye-opener when you realize how many school supplies are already around your home. Pens, pencils, paper, and notebooks are often hiding in various places in your house. Pull them all out and throw out what can't be used, and reuse what is still in good condition.

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You can do the same thing for back to school clothes. Take inventory of your kids' clothing and see if anyone can wear hand-me-downs, for instance, or if you can mix and match clothes. This helps avoid paying for clothes you don't need, and helps you focus on what you actually do need.

Change of Schedule

Going back to school is often a schedule jolt - sleeping late and staying up to midnight (or after) has to give way to the school year's early mornings and earlier bedtimes. Try to ease into this schedule before school starts to help everyone prepare for the upcoming change. Go to bed and get up a bit earlier as the school year approaches.

The Pros and Cons of Sending Your Child to Preschool

Your child is getting to be that age, and you may be wondering whether or not he or she will benefit from going to preschool. You also might be feeling some peer pressure or pressure from family as to whether or not you should send your child to school at so young an age. To help you make your decision, here are some pros and cons of sending your child to preschool.

Pros

Here are some of the positive things about sending your child to preschool.

1. Mommy time

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Let's face it - when you send your child to preschool, you have some time to yourself during the day. This is not some "selfish" desire, but a much-needed break. It could also be your chance to start a project that you've been meaning to get done, or even just time to run some child-free errands.

2. Easier transition

When it comes time for "real" school, your child may find it easier to go if he has been to preschool. Basically, preschool helps kids get into the "school" mindset, and helps prepare them for this type of schedule that will dominate their lives for the next 12 years or more!

3. Social time

Preschool can provide your child with some socialization and time with others her age. Preschoolers may benefit from being with others, participating in age-appropriate activities that help them form friendships. What's more, these friendships may help the later transition into grade school, when some of those same friends may be heading off to kindergarten with your child.

4. Preparation for learning

A good preschool will set your child up for success in school. This is achieved mainly through age-appropriate activities that work on reading readiness, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills. These activities are primarily preparatory, but that's the point.

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Cons

Here are some of the potential negatives to sending your child to preschool.

1. Separation anxiety

Some children find it very difficult to separate from their primary caregiver in order to spend the day (or part of the day) at preschool. This can be an emotionally draining thing for the both of you, and you may decide it's not worth it. (And this is okay, by the way!) Watch, too, for persistent anxiety and real fear about going to preschool - it could mean the care there is not optimal.

2. Different ideas on discipline

Not being in agreement with the preschool teacher(s) about discipline can be a big con. If you don't want your child to be spanked, but you know the preschools in your area employ physical punishment, then you may decide to forego preschool for your child.

3. Illness

Preschools are germ factories, and for some families the hassle and hazard of recurring illnesses can be significant. Constant illness getting passed to family members - especially if someone has compromised immunity - can be a real drawback.

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4. Not so social

Despite the social "pro" above, some studies indicate that starting preschool too early (and for your child, the "right" age for preschool may still be too early) actually inhibits social development. This may be because kids thrown into a group too soon don't have the proper social skills and their brains are too young to develop them, so they may cope by shutting down or acting out.

Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten

Your child is growing up! He or she is getting to be that age when it's time to start kindergarten. What can you do to help prepare your child for kindergarten? Here are some tips to help you out.

Read!

All kinds of sources agree that reading aloud to your child is very important for preparing them - not only for reading on their own, but also for school in general. Old-fashioned nursery rhymes have been shown to be helpful in teaching children about language, phonics, and rhyming. So go to the library and stock up on some age-appropriate books and get to reading together!

Clay Letters

Play with clay and show your child how to form letters out of clay. If you like, start with a word he really likes, such as his own name or the name of a favorite pet or toy. This hands-on, tactile activity helps reinforce the concept of forming letters with the hands, and may help prepare your child for handwriting.

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Identification

Talk about the names of colors and shapes when you are out and about (or even at home) with your child. Tell her the names of shapes of familiar objects and name the colors. You might play a game of "I spy" to help reinforce this in a fun way. In this game, you say something like, "I spy something red and round," and then let your child guess what it is. Then your child can choose something and let you guess.

Visit the School and Meet the Teacher

Familiarity can really help your child adjust to kindergarten. See if you can arrange to tour the school and meet the teacher, and hopefully more than once. Let your child see the playground, classroom, and cafeteria of the school.

Independence

See what you can do to foster independence in your child before kindergarten. Practice tying shoes (it's understandable if your child doesn't master this right away, but it helps to have a start), dressing himself, and using the bathroom alone. If separation is an issue, practice some separations with caregivers before the big day arrives.

Scissors

We all know not to run with them, but cutting with them is an important school-age skill. Do some fun projects with your child that involve cutting various shapes and lines, from straight to wavy.

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Get a Check-Up

Before going to kindergarten, it's a good idea to visit with your pediatrician for a check-up. Also make sure your child is up-to-date on his vaccinations, and find out what your child's school requires in this regard.

How Parents Can Help with the Emotional Challenges of Transitioning

Life is full of transitions - from preschool to kindergarten, middle school to high school, and many times they can be very challenging. Parents can help with the emotional challenges of transitioning, but sometimes it's hard to know how to help. Here are some tips on how you can help your kids make those important transitions.

Preschool to Kindergarten

Here may be one of the first big transitions in your child's life. The emotional challenges of this age involve separation anxiety and social readiness (or un-readiness). Here are some tips.

Tour the school with your child over the summer before he or she begins kindergarten. Familiarizing her with the teacher, classrooms, playground, and overall layout of the school will help a lot.

Understand her feelings, say experts. Parents may get impatient with separation anxiety and tears, but if you're going to support your child, it's a good idea to understand where she's coming from. Talk about how she feels, and help her put words to the feelings (that can be hard at this

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age). This helps her identify the feelings which may make them less scary.

Grade School to Middle School

This can be a big one. It's an emotional age at this point, so parents would do well to prepare themselves. Some of these tips may help.

Understanding feelings is important at this age, too, but it's not the same as going from preschool to grade school. Obviously, your child doesn't need words to identify what he's feeling. As a parent, you can help by recognizing the priority shift your child will have. His emotions are more focused on peers and the opposite sex than they were in grade school.

Asking questions without judgment can help parents connect emotionally with their kids during transitional challenges. Try to find out what your child's concerns, fears, and apprehensions are, as well as the things he is looking forward to and is excited about.

Middle School to High School

Kids start feeling independent and "grown up" about this time. Here are some tips on dealing with this transition.

Help them solve their own problems. At this point, calling the school for every complaint may not help your child. The transition may be smoother if you can offer some problem solving skills and strategies to

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help your child help herself. This is an opportunity to help your child come up with a plan to help solve the issues at hand.

Go to orientation if it's offered. If it's not, tour the school. Find teachers and advisors who can talk to your student about her fears and concerns, which will help alleviate some of those concerns. Many times, kids fear high school for reasons that really aren't realistic.

High School to College

Sending your child off to college is a big step! How can parents help their increasingly-independent child with this transition? Here are some tips.

Validate your child's feelings about this big change. It may be tempting to blow off their problems - they don't have "real problems" grown-ups may think - but remember your college-aged kids don't have the life experience and frame of reference that you do. Being patient with their concerns can help make their transition smoother. Let them vent!

Keep in touch with care packages and special gifts at key times (like final exams or his birthday). This helps support them more than you may know!

Middle School: Tips for Helping Your Child Adjust

Middle school can be a trying time. This is that age when children start to change from little kids to adults, and they have something of a battle going on inside them. Peers start to mean more, and parents may feel they are losing

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their influence. But there are some things you can do to help make it easier. Here are some tips for helping your child adjust to middle school.

Talk to Your Child

Have you tried asking your child some questions about his or her concerns about starting middle school? Try having a conversation where you don't judge or show big reactions, and see if you can discern some of the things she's concerned about. Try to phrase things positively, putting yourself in the position of helper not critic.

Remember Where Your Child's Mind Is

You may be thinking only of academic performance and how this new stage will affect it, but did you stop to think about what your child is thinking about most? Do you remember what you were thinking about the most when you were in middle school?

Most kids this age are thinking about their friends, their looks, and boys/girls (whatever the opposite sex is). In other words, they are really much more focused on the social scene and what others think about them than they are about grades. This doesn't mean you should let grades slide; it just helps you understand why their mindset seems to be changing. It is!

Tour the School

Just like for younger kids getting ready to start Kindergarten, your middle school student will be attending a new place with new teachers and

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classrooms. He will have lots of teachers - a different one for each subject - rather than one teacher all day.

So take your child for a tour of the school before the first day to help him get oriented. It can be overwhelming to change classes for the first time, trying to find the right classroom, the cafeteria, and so forth. You can help take some of the edge off by touring the school first.

Don't Change Everything

This is a time of big upheaval for your child. Try to keep some of those comforting family routines and rituals in place as the middle school years roll around. Your child may not act like she values these traditions, but they can really help keep her secure and grounded in the middle of all the change.

Adjusting to High School: How Older Siblings Can Help Younger Ones

An older sibling can be a big help in facilitating their younger sibling's adjustment to high school. After all, younger siblings tend to look up to their older brothers and sisters. But how? Maybe you're wondering how this could work. Here are some tips and ideas for how older siblings can help younger ones adjust to high school.

Comparing Notes

If siblings are in high school together, the older one likely had some of the same teachers and classes that the younger one is now working with. The older sibling can help the younger by going over his notes from last year (or longer ago) with the younger sibling. This doesn't mean the younger sibling

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isn't taking notes; it is just a way to get more information and enhance what the younger sibling has already taken down.

Tips on Teachers

An older sibling can give the younger some good tips on how to succeed with particular teachers. "Ms. Smith really hates it when you are late," for instance, or "Mr. Jones gives really hard tests so you'll need to study." These tips can be helpful for the younger sibling trying to adjust to high school.

In-House Tutor

Sometimes siblings don't share the same academic strengths, and the younger one may be struggling with a class or subject that was a breeze for the older one. If the younger sibling is not self-conscious about it and if the older one has the time, he (or she) can tutor his younger sibling in the subject and share tips and learning strategies. Maybe there is a study chart he used, and can help the younger sibling develop a similar chart.

In-House Editor

While you don't want to burden the older sibling, he can be a big asset as an editor of essays and papers. The older sibling may be able to check over the younger one's homework and note spelling and grammar mistakes, or give tips as to what the teacher expects in that class. Again, the older sibling is not doing the younger one's work for him; this is just helping the younger with his own work.

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Don't Recycle Projects or Other Schoolwork

There are some "don'ts" here as well, and this is one of them. Make sure your younger sibling is not pulling out past projects of your older child's and presenting them as his own. This is a definite no-no! Besides, the teacher is likely to recognize it and give the younger sibling a failing grade.

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