School is back.
While there is still plenty of summer left, that dreaded day is steadily approaching. There are three words that children of all ages dread...Back To School! Those three words put fear in the eyes of the youth of the world. However if there is any silver lining in the whole Back-To-School process it is when your parents hook you up with
new clothes, a
backpack, school supplies and more. Making that first day of school impression is paramount in ensuring your child has a great semester both academically and socially.
Back-To-School Survival Guide
So here you are, on the precipice of the back-to-school season. No matter how cool and how hip of a parent you think that you are, we all need a little help sometimes. This guide will help you get your child both what they need, and more importantly what they want, to send them back to school in style. Whether your child is attending their first day of Kindergarten or day one of their college experience, back-to school trends are changing. This guide will lead you through the trends and changes of the 2014 Back-To-School season. As parents you might feel sometimes that you are all alone. Don't go it alone. There is support out there.
The New Technology of Education
Technology moves about as fast as plate of brownies in front of your son's football friends. New gadgets become outdated literally weeks after they are released. Over the years the gadgets and their usage have changed tremendously. The standards are changing and it has become increasingly more important to send your children off to school with the technology and gear that is essential to their learning experience. With the influx of technology it is also important to make your children unplug occasionally and get back to traditional communication. (You know, with your mouth) The right technology gives your child all the tools that they will need to be successful in school and allow them to stand out amongst the masses in the future.
Back to School on a Budget
The economy is finally starting to show signs of growth again, but the economic downturn of 2008-2013 has birthed a new economy. This economy is frugal, this economy spends smart.
Coupon usage has increased almost 40%. Shopping at thrift stores, using, coupons, and looking out for the
best deals has been less frowned upon then it has been in the past. Whether you are rich or poor we have seen the frailty of our economy and have seen the result of our past economic choices. This chart above shows data from 2012 and 53% of parents had their children wear the same clothes from last year and 14.4% of Americans shopped secondhand. Flash forward to 2014, the economy is improving so parents can afford new clothes so only 42% of parents have their children wear clothes from last year but a whopping 34% of Americans are now shopping secondhand. Almost double the amount. This means that there is no shame in the secondhand game. There are offers out there for
FREE SHIPPING and other great deals if you keep an eye out for them.
Back-To-School Questions: Parents
There are several questions that arise when the Back-To-School season comes around. Both you and your children have questions as both you and you child take that next step. We polled 500 concerned The top three concerns that parents have in regards to their children returning to school are: Teachers/Education (34%), Grades(23%), and Bullying(13%). A lost art in parenting these days is communication. If you keep open that communication channel between you and your child, you will know exactly the things that your child is thinking about and can be prepared to tackle those problems when they arise. Many parents over-think their parenting decisions. That will do more harm than good. Just being there for your child during their adjustment into adult life can do wonders for your child's performance both academically and socially.
Back-To-School Questions: Kids
Parents always have a great deal of questions regarding back-to-school. However children have just as many concerns then the parents do. The top three topics children ask their parents are about grades, making friends, and bullying. Bullying has been a hot button issue for some time now. Of the parents we polled 78% believed that students should be disciplined for a new emerging form of bullying, cyber bullying. 57% of parents have had talks with their children about bullying. 33% of parents responded that their child had encountered some form of bullying. It is important to stress that your child should work hard get good grades, and be themselves and both the grades and the friends will come.
Feelings Towards Back-To-School Shopping
When we polled 500 parents we uncovered a great deal of data. We found that 67% of parents spend over $200 per child during the season. We also discovered that 54% do the majority of their shopping at a superstore. (i.e Walmart,Target etc.) A strange fact that we uncovered in our research is that 48% of the people we polled said that a backpack would be the most expensive item purchased. A frugal trend in growing in this new economy and 33% of the people we polled responded that they will give their children hand-me-downs for back-to-school clothing.
Did you know that the proper backpack can increase your child's productivity up to 20%? A backpack is an often overlooked part of the Back-To-School supply list. This graphic below shows you what you need to look for when choosing the right backpack for your child. Each child's needs are different so you need to see what the bag will be used for and plan accordingly. A lighter backpack about 12 pounds or lighter is ideal for children 80 pounds and below. A heavy backpack can have long term effects on a child's posture, and the health of their backs and shoulders. The weight of a backpack should be evenly distributed with the books lying flat on the bottom of the bag resting against your child's spine.
