Suncoast Families Prepare For Back to School
It is that bittersweet time of year when we have to take stock of all that we did not do this summer and pack it in before the school bell rings. Students are caught between sleeping in and enjoying their last bits of freedom and cracking that first summer book they should have read weeks ago. Parents are looking at school supplies on store shelves and pants that are too short and tops too small in their children’s closets and feeling the slow burn of panic. Relax, everyone! We have a few ABC’s of Back to School to make the process a little less strenuous for the whole family.
Buy now
Stores like Publix and Target have great sales right now on some of the essential school supplies. Items like glue sticks, crayons, markers, and folders are reduced right now as big retailers try to get a little of your school shopping funds in their tills. It isn’t a huge savings, but if you chip away at your supplies list little-by-little it does add up. Plus, as any parent can attest, trying to find a certain colored folder on the Sunday before school starts can be like finding a needle in a haystack, or worse. The other reason to buy now is the Back-to-School 2022 Sales Tax Holiday, happening from July 25th through August 7th. Shoppers can save on items like clothing, learning aids, and computers.
Think secondhand
Good news, parents, thrift shops are very chic and “in” for your children. Take advantage of this money saving option and spend the day with your kid perusing secondhand stores for great finds. Your student will love the originality they get buy purchasing clothing at a thrift store, plus it is super trendy, so you get props for being in on this hip way to shop. Don’t just think brick and mortar, plenty of online options exist too, if you want to thrift-shop from the convenience of your home.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Give your child’s closet a good going through to see what they can reuse for the new year. Once you make your piles and discard or donate your clothing accordingly, you get a new visual of the remaining outfits and can see what fits better this year. Plus, adding a few core pieces to what you already have can have exponential effects on a dull wardrobe. Another idea is to have a clothing swap, where everyone gathers and brings clothing that they no longer want but might be appealing to someone else. Add snacks and drink and you’ve created a shopping event, right in your own home.
Just relax
I know, it is expensive and stressful, but even if they don’t have every pencil or dry-erase marker on the list, they will be fine. More lessons will be learned by watching you being sensible and economical in your purchases. Better energy would be spent in trying to establish an early morning routine to make their first day easier on them. (Good luck with that if they are teenagers) Enjoy these last few days with your babies, school buses will be rolling soon.
Photos courtesy of Florida Department of Education Facebook page.