Back to School Shopping & Teaching Opportunities

Oh yes, it's that time of year once again for our teens to shop for back to school clothes. This is not a neutral topic at all as it involves money, individual taste, and a variety of other possible points of contention. Sometimes your teens will shop with you and at other times they may shop with friends. Whatever the case may be, I would like to help you set some guidelines so that back to school shopping is less likely to be fraught with conflict and more about fun, and yes, a few learning lessons.

1. Help your teen set a budget for back to school shopping. This will help prevent them from impuse purchases and help them stick to buying what they need.

2. If they have earned money over the summer decide with them how much of this money they will contribute to their purchases. This will help teach them the value of money.

3. Have them prepare a shopping list so that they can stay focussed and organized. This will prepare them for all aspects of life where preparation is not only helpful but necessary.

4.If they are unsure if an item is appropriate for school and they are not with you then let them know that they can text you a photo. We all know that texting is their preferred mode of communication so capitalize on it.

AND

5. If they come home with an item that you are not sure that you like-think hard about whether or not to make an issue of it. Remember the quality of the relationship is more important than any one piece of clothing.

Good luck!