Back-to-School Tips For New Parents.

 

Increased parental involvement provides the best foundation for a successful start to the school year. Back-to-school offers an opportunity for parents to get to know their children’s teachers and to be involved in their education all year-round, said Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association. To reach their full potential, students need parents to take an active role in their education. Parents should be their children’s favorite teacher and eventually becomes their favorite mentor as well. With the recent events of the last year, I mean the pandemic, many parents (myself included) are looking for ways to save money while getting fully prepared for the back-to-school. In this article I am going to give you some tips that will guide you to be fully involved in your kids education, and also tips to buy everything your child might need for a successful school year but on a budget. Ready? Let’s begin.

Tips to be an involved parent to ensure your child success.

Tip # 1 Meet the teachers.

Tell teachers about your children’s interests and hobbies. Make a date to visit teachers and classrooms. Don’t wait for Back-to-School Night or parent-teacher conferences to open the lines of communication with your child’s teachers. Provide teachers with your phone numbers and e-mail addresses so you can be easily contacted. This year with so many kids going back to school for classes and all the restrictions about the Covid-19, things might be a bit different. However you must still have to make sure that your child’s teacher knows how to get in contact with you.

Tip # 2 Get to know all the school employees.

Whether it’s the librarian, school counselor, nurse, cafeteria worker or bus driver, education support professionals generally know all of the students in the school, and their relationships with your child will continue from year to year as your child moves from one grade to the next.

Tip # 3 Join the PTA or other parent groups.

As part of the PTA you’ll be able to participate in school events and see how you can help the school reach its goals.

The 5 most important benefits of joining the school PTA are as follows:

• Network, not only with the school staff but also with other parents.
• Open communication.
• Gaining valuable information right from the inside.
• Your child is looking at you as a role model and feel that you are involved.

Tip # 4 Talk daily with your children.

Review what they learned in school, determine set times for homework and reserve time to read with them even if it’s just for fun. Talking to your children on a daily basis will give an insight of what’s going on with their lives. Pay close attention to mood or behavior changes, or any signs of anxiety, especially this year that we are still adjusting during a pandemic.

Tip # 5 Check the school’s Web site regularly.

Make sure your children are learning what they need to know to meet the standards set for their grade level. Many schools offer class schedules and homework materials online for parents to view and review with their children. Also you’ll be aware of school events and other important information.

Tips to prepare your children for a successful school year but on a budget.

From shopping for clothes and desk accessories to computers and dorm-room furniture, it’s important to plan ahead. If you don’t, your bills could be sky high. To avoid overspending when shopping for school articles take a look on the following tips.

TIP # 1 Take inventory of all the items you already have.

Before you head out to buy the “in” outfit of the season, the expensive crayon set or the latest dorm-room accessory, take inventory of what you already have. For instance, you may find an unused notebook lying around. After seeing what you do have, formulate a list of what you actually need.

Tip # 2 Search for savings.

Look for store coupons and sales in your local newspaper. On Sundays, many local newspapers include ad supplements filled with store savings for the upcoming week. Once you’ve compared prices from store to store and found the best deals on the items that you need, you’ll be ready to shop.

Tip # 3 Shop online.

You’ll often find the best prices on school items online. Many retailers these days offers various back-to-school items, including clothes, backpacks, furniture, electronics and even textbooks that you can bid on or buy at fixed prices.

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Tip # 4 Buy in bulk.

Buying supplies like pens or notebooks in large quantities can save you money in the long run. If the quantity is too large, see if you can split the cost and the items with another parent who’s shopping for school supplies.

Tip # 5 Stick to the list.

Only buy the items that are on the list of necessities that you created before you started shopping. Sticking to the list will help you stick to your budget and save you money in the process.

Tip # 6 Take advantage of the tax free sales.

Every year right before school starts there is a tax free holiday for parents to buy all school supplies. If your state offers the tax free holiday, save your shopping until the day to save 5-7% on your purchases. Combine your shopping with special offers, coupons and any other deals to you can save even more money.

Tip # 7 Don’t underestimate budget friendly merchants like Dollar Tree stores.

As soon as the month of June starts almost all Dollar tree stores stock with the back-to-school essentials for the new year, items such as scissors, crayons, highlighter etc. can be purchased there for just one dollar, and they are the same quality as any other retailers. For example, I used to pay $3 for scissors and $1.50 for crayon boxes at Walmart before. Not anymore.

Tip # 8 Wait for the Doorbuster Sales.

Many retailers offer doorbuster deals and sales after the back-to-school passes on items your kids might need like crayons for 15 cents each box or notebooks for 10 cents each. When you see these deals, stock up (but buy only what you realistically need for the present school year or the next one).

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Final thoughts for Back-to-School Tips For New Parents.

To read more specifically about this back-to-school during a pandemic check out this link. 

The new school year is quickly approaching and its time to start preparing. It’s easy to save on back-to-school and it doesn’t mean throwing your budget out the window. Using these back-to-school tips and tricks, and with a little planning and smart decisions, you’ll save plenty of money while still getting all the stuff your kids need for a great year.

Zadi, xo