Back to School, Guilty Mommy Guide 2 Life

Kick Off Summer by Preparing for Back-to-School: #5 Develop a Shopping Schedule

inderal the shards of order BTS shopping can be an ordeal when you do it alone. Add a couple of kids that hate trying on clothes, want to choose the shoes, backpack, whatever that they want no matter how unsuitable or expensive plus they just don’t want to be there & you have the formula for disaster. How many of these excursions have ended in shouting matches or tears, either them or YOU?

Worse still, since you know what an ordeal BTS shopping is going to be with your kids, you put it off as long as you can. Then you end up spending WAY too much $ either because you have to settle with what’s available or Here! Give me that! you just want to get it over or both. Not good! What have I been telling you about planning? About working smarter, not harder?

This year, you are going to sit down with your calendar & create a schedule for shopping. Plan 2-3 or more short trips with EACH of your children, going out to look at & hopefully, purchase specific items, like shoes. If, however, you should find something else that they need for school, by all means go ahead & get it. Why spend time on another trip if you can get your shopping wrapped up even quicker?

“What do you mean 2-3 trips with each child? Why can’t I just pile everyone in the car & get it over with at once?” Well, you could but shorter, more frequent trips cause less stress for everyone. Taking each kid separately enables you to focus on them without the distraction of your other children. It also enables you to spend time with each child, talking about the coming school year. You have a chance to learn about any concerns they might have, about the needs. You also have a chance to pick out items they like & want rather than buying everyone the exact same thing just to get it over with quick!

And I know some of you are rolling your eyes as you read this, but taking each child out alone gives them an opportunity to learn more about the cost of items & budgeting. Most kids think parents only need to go to the bank to pick up all the money they need to shop. Kids also rarely have an understanding about the cost of things. This is only because parents fail to share this information. It isn’t necessary to beat kids over the head about the expense of raising them but kids should learn early on how to make money go as far as possible. They can have nice things, purchase the things they like without overspending. BTS shopping is a good time to begin this lesson.

BTS shopping doesn’t have to be the ordeal it may have been in the past. Take time to plan your shopping strategy &, while it may not be painless, it should cause you far less aggravation than it has in the past.

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