Megan Again: The August Angst of School Shopping

By Megan Wirts

I hate to be the one to say this, but it’s August you guys.

I know, I’m kind of sad too. This year the summer months have just flown by for me. Don’t get me wrong I’m kind of excited about school starting, but I’m also feeling a little bittersweet about it. I just feel like we couldn’t get all of summer into this summer. Some summers are like that, too much going on and not enough sunny days.

August also means school shopping time. I know there are a few of you that finished school shopping before the end of July and more power to you, I’m just not that motivated or organized. Plus, my kids... 

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​...grow at an exponential rate and their bodies know when I buy a new pair of jeans for them because they grow 2 inches every time. Thank goodness for thrift stores, yard sales and coupons or I’d be broke. 

Then I have to decide whether or not I want the small people to come along with me. When they were much smaller there was absolutely no way I would bring them. I know there is no getting around it sometimes, but shopping with kids is the worst in my opinion. Sometimes you just want to get in and get out. You don’t want kids lollygagging around, whining because they are bored or begging for things we just don’t need. You just want to shop in peace. 

Alone.

My son, who is currently 10, has absolutely no interest in shopping or picking out his own clothes at all. He would wear the same pair of pants and t-shirt every single day if I let him. My daughter, who is a teenager, definitely has an opinion about her clothes now. When she was younger she would wear and love whatever I picked out for her.  Now, sometimes when I show her something I think she would like, I’ll get one of those “Really, Mom?” looks from her and she’ll just shake her head and laugh. 
I must not be that uncool though because she picked out bib overalls and a flannel shirt for one of her new school outfits and those are EXACTLY the kind of thing I wore at her age. 

For real, I had one of the flannel shirts I used to wear hanging in my closet. When I reminded her of this, she promptly went in my room and confiscated it for her own. 

Apparently, it’s vintage. Nothing makes you feel older than a teenage girl telling you that your clothes from high school are vintage now.  Excuse me while I go down a bottle of wine and contemplate my life choices. Vintage, jeez, I’m not that old!! Am I? 
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On top of all the new clothes needed, there are the school supplies.

Backpacks, binders and pens, oh my! The lists get longer each year my kids age, I swear. I don’t give my kids much choice with the supplies. I like to hit up the place that I can find the cheapest folders, pencils and everything else in between and that’s what my kids are going to get. If they want to have some character from their favorite movie or their favorite band on their folder or binder, they can draw it on there or cut out a picture from a magazine and glue it on. Easy peasy. I’m not wasting my money. Maybe that’s a little harsh or maybe that’s a genius money saving idea and helps kids be creative.

Or, of course, maybe I’m just cheap. 

I honestly feel no shame in being thrifty. It’s a necessity for some and honestly, I don’t feel the need to spend hundreds of dollars on name brand clothing and the latest trends.
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Especially when I have (*shudder*) vintage clothing from my youth hiding in my closet.

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