Nope. They wear the same stuff they wore during the summer and we deal with needs as they come up. They get new bookbags when the old ones break. That's it.

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Illini Bob's wife....mom to 3 little chiefs

We buy as we need.This yr,all 3 of my kids will need all new so I am saving up for that now.Could be abit pricey lol.

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~~Sharon~~

I used to, but that was when they were smaller and didn't grow as fast. Now DD2 has caught up with DD1 and so no handme downs, I have to buy enough for both of them. I tend to buy one or two outfits to start school in and then buy on sale what is needed. One cool thing though, my friend gave my older DD (who is [u]very[u] fashion conscience) a gift certificate to JC Pennys and we went yesterday and she got 2 tops and 2 pairs of capri's for $40. Not my money so I didn't get upset. But DD is beginning to note prices and couldn't believe that a new top was between $16 and $28. We found the sales items and she paid between $6 and $11 for all her clothes. I think we may ask grandparents for gift certificates for her birthday as she really doesn't need any new toys.

No, I don't buy a bunch of clothes when school starts, I just buy them when they need them. I will buy them one new outfit for picture day, and they usually need new shoes in the fall.

I, too, usually only buy as needed. However, my mother likes to take the kids out before school starts and buy them a few things. She usually buys them a pair of good school schools which I always appreciate.

I do a big shopping trip- I live in Az and I guess people here have to shop differently than in places where it's actually cooling off when thier kids go to school.

Here's what happens with me. I'll buy clothes for the new school year starting in June. I get shorts, skirts- warm weather clothing. I try to shoot for 10 separate outfits. That paired with team shirts, school spirit shirts, ect give them about 3 weeks worth of clothing without repeating. ( middle school girls are concious of not wearing the same thing very often)
We start school on Aug 13th - and usually that first day of school is a scorcher. Not uncommon to be 110 degrees. Kids here wear t-shirts all the way into November and Often shorts or capris in October. It really doesn't become jeans weather until late nov/dec.

anyway so I shop in june and july because after 4th of july the stores start putting out the "back to school clothes" which often consist of JEANS and long sleeves.

anyway, so around christmas I'l buy Jeans, hoodies, that sort of thing for them to wear in the winter.

When it warms up again ( march) they go back into the shorts and t-shirts I bought the previous June and July. If they fit, great. If not, I endup having to buy some new stuff to hold them over until May when they get out of school. I'm usually pretty lucky and most of the stuff fits.

Then summer comes along- and on summer break, they usually wear the clothes left over from the school year that I bought. Alot of it is a year old by now, and some of it may still fit, if barely.

By now, it's time to buy more shorts, shirts, ect so that they have somethingto wear Aug through November to school again

it's a wierd cycle

I remember the days when the kids were toddlers and it was ok to buy Sesame street and buy things a season ahead. IT all worked out great. But as they get older that shirt with happy bunny on it might we ultra cool now, but in 8 months, when they finally grow into it, it's all of the sudden deemed as "nerdy"

We've never, however been one of those lucky familes we see back to school shopping the Saturday before school starts- you tknow, the ones that go to Kohls and buy up 200.00 worth of clothes and they are "done" in an hour. Maybe that only works for boys- I mean if you know your kid wears a 30 in waist in shorts, buy 5 of those, 5 shirts, and you are done.
girls are more complicated, nothing ever fits, the shorts look fine on the shelf, but end up being daisy dukes when they try them on, skirts are too short for dress code, ect, ect.
ok yes I know, I tend to ramble. But we start in June and every other weekend or so go out and get an outfit or 2 all summer, and we save shoes and school supplies until very last.

Last year they sent the school supply list with report cards. This year they did not. So my kids are usually begging for school supplies and I don't know what they need. I do allow them to grab the basics I know they will need, but in first grade it was green for go home and red for stay at school folders and second grade it was one for each, but any kind was ok. So I am never sure exactly what until registration and we get the list. And I buy double of things they will use up like glue sticks. And sometimes an extra of something for the teacher to have on hand, crayons, big box of pencils, etc.

Shoes, usually tennis shoes in fall and spring. A pair of school shoes before school starts along with the tennies.

I have learned the hard way to buy a winter coat in August or i cannot find the right size without a lot of searching, so I will watch for a sale on those. My older DD gets a coat, little one we see if we have any in storage and get new hat/mittens.

DDs backpack is trashed so she will need a new one.

My mom usually takes them shopping, so I supplement what she gets. I also make a list of what we have and what we need to go with it. So if DD has perfectly good black pants but no sweaters or blouses I know to select a match.

I try not to get too much before school starts so I can take advantage of better sales, then there is the possible growth spurts, and of course, let's see what everyone else is wearing!

I've also learned to be very strict about what they are allowed to choose, as we have a lot that was sooo cute in the store and rarely worn. So I know my 8 yr. old is not a dress or skirt kind of kid, she gets one or 2 to allow for pictures, programs at school, etc.

And I do allow them a back to school outfit for the first day.

I watch the yard sales and consignment stores too, but lately haven't had any great finds in their sizes.

I don't have one big back to school clothing shopping trip- I just make a list of all the things she'll need for the school year and I pick them up if I see them on a good clearence. I actually got about 5 pairs of jeans for DD1 for 80% off- and I knew that she needed them! About two weeks ago I bought some nice school for 90% off!!!

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One happy wife and mommy!!!

I have started my girls already...they have there tennis shoes already...my oldest dd has 4 outfits already....I got them a few weeks ago on Goodys.com when things were on sale....hope to find some more good online sales for them...I buy capris to start school with...they have enough good nice pants to wear when it gets cooler..so usually they get the new pants for Christmas


if you all shop on line and know of good deals..please let us know..lol

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CHOOSE TODAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE!!!

I thought I was the only person around who did NOT do back to school shopping. Sometimes we'll take the kids and buy them new tennis shoes before school starts. I'll ask them if there's anything they need, and they usually say no. I may buy a few things if I find good deals on things, but I don't specifically do back to school shopping. My kids often wear clothes from the previous year on the first day of school. Luckily my kids aren't all caught up in the clothes thing which is sort of amazing since we live in the land of Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, etc.

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