It’s happened – the back-to-school flyers have started to appear in mailboxes throughout the city. Though many parents and caregivers see this as the “most wonderful time of the year,” others find it one of the most stressful.
There are plenty of tips and tools to make the move back to the classroom easier for children, but not a ton of information for adults.
According to the New York Post, six in 10 parents are so worried about their child that they’ve lost sleep in the back-to-school season. The top concerns keeping caregivers awake, according to the article, include whether their child will have good teachers and is eating healthy foods at school, as well as the cost of new school supplies.
While we will address healthy lunches and talking to your child’s teacher in our next edition, many parents are likely already dreading back-to-school shopping.
A Vancouver Sun article stated almost seven out of 10 parents say shopping for school-related items and paying education-related fees will hurt their family's finances. In Alberta’s current financial reality, this is a valid concern.
So, what can caregivers do? A good first step is to look at your child’s clothing and school supplies from last year to see what really does need to be replaced and what’s still in good condition.
It also helps to hold off on back-to-school shopping until the weeks after school has started, as the big-box stores will likely be slashing prices to make room for new items.
Simple ideas that could have a big impact on a tight budget.
Though this can be a time of increased worries, it can also be exciting, and it’s important to celebrate that, as well.
