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shopping
One of the most exciting childhood memories that I have of back to school time is shopping with my mom for clothes and supplies. I loved every minute of picking out a special Trapper Keeper, deciding which lunch box I liked best, and choosing the perfect outfit to wear on that first day. Now that I’m a mom, the idea of school shopping seems way more stressful and much less fun. However, with a bit of planning ahead and a great deal of patience, I am confident that I can relive my childhood while helping my son get ready for his first day of kindergarten. As I prepare to tackle the stores this week, here are several tips I plan follow to ensure that the experience is an enjoyable one for us both. After all, this is a special and important moment in my child’s life, so why not let him be as thrilled about the experience as much as I was when I was his age? Even if that means I let him take ten solid minutes to choose the perfect set of crayons!
Go Out First Thing in the Morning – By choosing your time of day wisely, you can help avoid any issues that come up when children are hungry, tired, or overwhelmed with larger crowds.
Create a List – Include your child in making a master list of every item he or she will need, from clothes to shoes to backpacks and supplies. Go over your list with your child several times before heading out and refer to it often during the shopping trip in order to make sure they know exactly what to expect.
Pre-shop Online - Check out your favorite store websites before hitting the road. Sometimes you can find much better deals and save using online coupon codes as opposed to shopping in the stores. At the very least, you can make note of the prices of certain necessities online, and then compare them to those in the stores to see which avenue will save you the most money.
Have a Plan – Even the most patient child’s attention span won’t last forever, so try to have a plan in place before walking all around the mall or driving all around town. Also, don’t forget to bring along lots of snacks and water, so that you can keep your shopping companions happy and well fed along the way without spending your funds at the food court.
Use Cash – Sticking to a predetermined budget is much easier if you decide to pay for everything with cash. Visually seeing your money disappear as you shop will help both you and your child realize that your spending limit simply doesn’t have room for any impulse buys.
Require Good Behavior– Be clear and upfront with your kids before you head out. If they fuss about something they cannot have while in the stores, the shopping trip is over. Be firm and stick to your guns on this one. It might be tough to do in the moment, but it will go a long way in teaching them about showing appreciation for all they have.
Be Firm But Flexible – It’s a good idea to set the rules before you leave home about who gets final say in each purchase, or what kinds of items might be off-limits (such as shirts with certain sayings or logos for instance.) Children definitely like to have a say in what they wear, however, so give them some control by allowing them to choose at least some items that reflect their personal style, even if it’s not your preferred style. You can even tell them to bring along some of their own money or allowance. That way if they see something they really want that isn’t on the list, they have the power to buy it themselves!
