How do you avoid back-to-school shopping tantrums?

It's way too easy to get into battles when you go shopping with your child. I think it's best to lay the ground rules out before you go--what your budget is and what items you will be shopping for. That makes saying "no" easier because you can remind your child what you discussed ahead of time. Of course, logic doesn't always work, but it is worth a try!

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When my boys were younger i took them shopping separately for the basic items such as paper, glue, crayons, etc. My mother would take them separately for "grandma's treat" which included speciality items such as backpacks, lunchbox, shoes, etc. Afterwards they enjoyed lunch out. They were so tickled to be spoiled by grandma, they behaved beautifully! Now that they are older, they don't want to go shopping other than to pick out the shoes! haha

As for shopping for supplies, our school has the perfect answer. The PTA sells prepackaged school supplies that have been custom packed according to the teachers lists of supplies. The PTA makes a few dollars off of each pack and the kids look forward to pickup day all summer. (If anyone wants more information, I am the coordinator for it.)
When it comes to shopping for clothes, I try to wait until after school starts and go by myself. I don't make a big deal out of a new school wardrobe because home clothes are school clothes and we replace them when they wear out. Thankfully, they don't care much about shopping themselves.

My daughter is 5 years old. I learned that if I take my kids shopping for anything....school supplies, clothes, food, even bedding that I often end up with a ton more stuff than I really need. So, I just don't take them shopping with me anymore. Thank goodness for online shopping. "You get what you get and you don't get upset. "

I don't make a big deal about the shopping being for any certain purpose. As her clothes wear out, we simply replace them. This way there is never stress or strain. As for disagreements about the clothing in choice; we just stick to the same standards for home as she has for school. Thankfully, I don't have a child that wants anything inappropriet or trendy.

My daughter likes Lands End Yoga Pants - so we get 2 black, 1 navy and 1 brown pairs. Then we only shop for tops and shoes. Surprisingly, having the pants fit comfortably and the colors chosen makes shopping with my daughter fun!

We don't have to worry about words written across her rear-end, how tight or loose the pants are. And black pants match almost all the tops she could find.

This is the first year she chose her own shoes entirely on her own with a budget. We ran into a couple of pair I didn't want her to buy - but instead of saying no, I said we should continue to look through the whole store so you can choose between all of the styles you see that you might want. In the end, she chose two pair that she loved and I really liked.

Yes, is a very powerful word. Yes, you can get two new pair of shoes if you walk through the whole store and look at all of the styles. Yes, you can choose several new tops as long as we can agree on no belly buttons showing. Yes, you have great taste in clothes. Yes, you are a great shopper, you got several items that match more than one pair of pants.

Yes, I love shopping for school clothes with you so I can see how your style has evolved.

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How do you avoid back-to-school shopping tantrums?

Parent Answers to "How do you avoid back-to-school shopping tantrums? "

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