Scholastic Children’s Dictionary Back-to-School Countdown *Giveaway*

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I cannot believe that the new school year is just around the corner. Like many other parents around the country, I am starting to get my boys ready for the new school year. I remember getting ready for the new school year as a young girl (and teenager). It was always exciting to purchase the new backpack, Trapper Keepers (yep), clothes, shoes, and other school necessities. As a mom, I have to admit, it’s just as exciting to purchase these items for my boys.

One of the big items to purchase are their shoes. I want to make sure that their shoes look good, are affordable, and are durable (very important with little boys…you understand exactly what I’m saying if you have them). Here are some tips I have when it comes to shoe shopping for the upcoming school year:

1 – Come up with a budget for how much you are willing (or can afford) to spend on shoes for your child.

2 – Shop for sales. Check out your local stores and ads (both in the newspaper and online).

3 – Decide on how many pairs and what type of shoes are needed for the upcoming school year (i.e. p.e. shoes, casual shoes, dress shoes).

4 – Take your child with you on the shopping trip. This is helpful for fitting, style, and gets your child about the upcoming school year as well.

5 – Try to hold out on letting your child wear the new shoes until the first day of school. It will be hard but you can do it!

6 – Take advantage of FREE SHIPPING deals on different websites by ordering multiple pairs of shoes for your kids at the same time

7 – Keep your receipt. If you need to return the shoes for any reason at all, having the receipt will make the return much easier. Shoes can feel different at the store than when your child actually puts them on to wear throughout the day.

In addition to school supplies, clothes, and shoes for your child, the Scholastic Children’s Dictionary is a great tool to help him or her in the upcoming school year. The Children’s Dictionary is filled with words and pictures that will help your child master school assignments and projects.

With exciting features, accessible definitions and helpful illustrations and photographs throughout, the new Scholastic Children’s Dictionary is the essential resource that belongs in every home, classroom and library.

The 2010 edition of the Scholastic Children’s Dictionary features more than 1,000 full-color photographs, simple sentences, illustrations, and diagrams as well as newly commissioned maps of the world, the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. There are hundreds of new and expanded entries written by a prominent lexicographer as well as thousands of additional sample sentences to illustrate word usage. The dictionary also includes guides on grammar, punctuation and idioms and simplified pronunciations created with real kids in mind! The new Scholastic Children’s Dictionary is an essential resource that belongs in every home, classroom, and library. The Scholastic Children’s Dictionary retails for $19.99.

I am thrilled to participate as STOP #3 in this fun Back-to-School Countdown Tour with Scholastic! Be sure to check out the other blogs participating in this fun tour!

Jolly Mom Stop #1 July 23
Momma Findings Stop #2 July 26
The Mommy-Files Stop #3 July 28
The Dirty Shirt Stop #4 July 30
1StopMom Stop #5 Aug 2
MommyMandy Stop #5 Aug 4
Guessing All The Way Stop #7 Aug 5
Serendipity Mommy Stop #8 Aug 6
The Divine Miss Mommy Stop #9 Aug 9
From Dates to Diapers Stop #10 Aug 11
MomDot Stop #11 Aug 12
My Sentiment ExactLee Stop #12 Aug 16
Mommy Niri Stop #13 Aug 18
3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Stop #14 Aug 19
Mom Knows It All Stop #15 Aug 20

GIVEAWAY

In celebration of the upcoming school year, 1 lucky reader on The Mommy-Files will win a $100 gift card to Zappos.com and a copy of the Scholastic Children’s Dictionary!!!

WIN IT!!! (MANDATORY ENTRY)

– Tell me in a comment one back-to-school tip you have for getting ready for the upcoming school year!

EXTRA ENTRIES:

– Vote for The Mommy-Files on Top Mommy Blogs (simply click on the button on the sidebar) – 1 ENTRY
– Follow The Mommy-Files on Twitter – 1 ENTRY
– Tweet about the giveaway – 1 ENTRY DAILY
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– Add my Mommy-Files button to your blog and include the URL – 1 ENTRY
– Comment on any Non-Giveaway post on The Mommy-Files – 1 ENTRY per post comment (no limit)
– Blog about this giveaway and include the URL – 5 ENTRIES

RULES:

– Contest will close at 11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday, August 11th, 2010! Any entries after this time will be deleted!
– Contest open to U.S. residents only.

This is a compensated post. I also received a copy of the Scholastic Children’s Dictionary to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.

783 thoughts on “Scholastic Children’s Dictionary Back-to-School Countdown *Giveaway*”

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  8. Stephanie

    My tip is to watch for the awesome school supply sales and stock up on pencils, notebooks, glue sticks etc. for your own kids- and buy extra that you can donate to a local program that provides school supplies to kids who don’t have them. We have a program called “Stuff the Bus” here and each year I can donate a ton of supplies that I pick up for very little money at the sales.

    Reply
  15. Rachel C

    My tip is to keep it fun! My first is starting kindergarten and I’m just trying to keep her excited about it so she won’t be nervous.

    Reply
  22. GAhome2mom

    We homeschool. We often look for used/new curriculum for sale on Ebay. We have saved lots of money doing this in the past. This year we bought new curriculum from Christianbook.com.

    Thanks.
    gahome2mom/at/gmail/dot/com

    Reply
  28. A Kruse

    My biggest tip is to get just what is essential. One or two fabulous outfits for first day of school and pics… but then wait on the other stuff. Hit those after sales. Try on all shoes and then donate non fitting ones right away. Cut down on the clutter!

    Reply
  43. Jan A

    I’m retired and my children are grown, but a back-to-school tip is to make sure the children are comfotable with the school. Take them to see the classroom and meet the teacher, have them try out their locker and look at their texbooks. Answer their questions so that the first day is not filled with anxiety.
    jan_ackerson@yahoo.com

    Reply
  50. Katie

    Bargain Shopping , clothing and supplies add up and if you are on a fixed income like we are you have to look at all the options out there. I have been looking at the prices on everything I need from numerous stores and I have been marking the prices in a book , marking out a store for a item if I find it cheaper somewhere else. Then , in a couple of weeks , when we are ready and have enough money to do it we will take that journey out and get everything we need.

    Reply
  62. mary

    With multiple kis in school, I try to consolidate their lists, then wait for the sales to come. As early as July, stores begin the super cheap discounts and I can get those 400 packs of glue sticks they need for 25 cents each.

    Reply
  68. Debbie Stanton

    my tip is to first go through each child’s closet and dresser and make a list of what items we need and then I take each child on their own shopping trip… I have been doing this for a few years and it is much easier being able to focus on one child and what their clothes needs are and what stores they want to shop at. It also gives us some special mommy and me time.

    Reply
  71. Candace

    My best tip is to hit the kiosks in the middle of the aisle with school supplies because they have crayola crayons for as low as 20 CENTS. But ten of them and donate some to your child’s class and save the rest in your craft box for later. Take advantage of the rock bottom prices because chances are you will have to replenish the stock in the 2nd half of the school year 🙂

    Reply
  79. Wendy M

    I follow the sales of school supplies and compare it to the list I receive from my child’s school.
    wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net

    Reply
  81. Karen R

    Buy extra school supplies during the back to school sales to replenish supplies lost or broken during the year.

    Reply
  85. meeyeehere

    Well, my son is not old enough for school but to get ready for my niece we have been slowly buying up the uniforms and not just getting things as we see them but waiting and going to many different places to compare prices.I think we really saved money!Oh and emotionally getting her ready by bragging about how much fun it will be and how they have all new toys that she has never played with and different snacks!
    jacksoncrisman@yahoo.com

    Reply
  91. Erica Best

    my tip is about 2 weeks before school start back i try to get the kids back use to getting up early in morning by putting then to bed early and woke them up early.

    Reply
  96. Jessie C.

    My tip is to get more and extra school supplies while they’re on sale during this time of the year. (with coupons for sure). Kids broke and lost items more frequent than you can imagine.

    Reply
  115. nan lara

    if there is a store limit on a great priced item like crayons..i’ll shop with my mom or sis so we can each get one
    nannypanpan at sbcglobal.net

    Reply
  129. Cindy

    My back to school tip is a little different, since we homeschool, but my advice for folks who home-educate is to not take an entire summer off. Back-to-school is easier if it’s only 3 weeks since the last unit. 🙂

    Reply
  165. Brittany

    This will be the first year that I have a child going back to school but I’ve always stocked up on notebooks, glue, crayons, and other supplies. They are so inexpensive and it’s always nice to pull out a box of brand new crayons.

    Reply
  171. cherice

    Bring your kid to school a couple of times to get familar with where everything is before the first day! Thanks for the chance.

    Reply
  174. Margaret Smith

    Since sales run for a number of weeks before school starts, I try to buy items that are on sale each week, a bit each time. This way, our budget doesn’t really get killed and we’re able to get everything we need. I also get extra’s while their on sale, so when we need extra’s during the year, we’re not paying full price and we have supplies on hand.
    Thanks so much for this wonderful giveaway.
    rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

    Reply
  179. SANDY

    buy extra sale stuff now so it lasts the whole year- the new semester is when they do not have alot of sales in January- sorta silly but they don’t and keep extras in a tub

    Reply
  188. momznite

    Take an inventory of clothing and supplies you already have before starting the back to school shopping.
    momznite_at_yahoo_daught_com

    Reply
  194. Lim

    I actually disagree about not letting them wear the shoes till the first day. I’m not saying lace um up and let them go play in mud puddles, but I’ve found shoes do need breaking in. There is enough stress with the first day of school that it doesn’t need to be added to by unfamiliar shoes.

    Um, so that would make my tip – Let them break in the shoes, maybe take a walk around the block for a few nights before the first day.

    Reply
  196. Aisling

    Stock up on school supplies whenever they’re on sale and find a spot to keep everything together (so those extra notebooks or mechanical pencils aren’t “lost” when you need them later).

    Reply
  199. Amber G

    My tip is to shop at garage sales if kids have outgrown clothes! I’m surprised at how inexpensive some items are – and the great condition they are in.

    Reply
  205. Amber

    My tip is so start shopping early rather than last minute, also look online for deals. You can find good deals on kids clothes, foods, etc for back to school by browsing the net.

    Reply
  212. Linda Fish

    Buy your supplies when they first come out and go on sale, dont wait till the last minute when everything is gone and picked over

    Reply
  219. Debra F

    My biggest tip is to take the school supply list the teacher sent home with you when you shop. Some teachers are very specific about the supplies they require and you don’t want to waste money by buying the wrong items.

    Reply
  228. Jean F

    I like to buy stuff when it’s on sale in July, but unfortunately, our schools don’t give us the list until end of August

    Reply
  229. mickeyfan

    Try to make sure your child gets to meet the teacher BEFORE school starts, so it is not like walking in to a stranger on Day 1.

    Reply
  237. OlyveOyl

    We ask the grocery stores for “brown bags” for our groceries during this time and use them for book covers – then the kids can decorate them whatever they want and we are “recycling” the bag.

    Reply
  240. Vicky H.

    Back-to-school sales vary from week to week, starting around a month before school’s back in session – well, here anyway. So be patient to see if certain items are on sale a different week, compared to others. If you’d rather get them over with, scour all of your sales papers for better deals. Walgreens tends to have a lot of $1 sales every week.

    Reply
  241. allyson ayala

    p usually buy the basic before school when they are on sale…and purchase the special stuff once i get the list from the teacher

    Reply
  243. Jessica

    Buy separate notesbooks, not the big multi subject ones. They fall apart too easily and then you end up having to copy out notes from three different classes as opposed to one if it breaks. The same if you happen to lose it.

    Reply
  244. Suzanne K

    I shop the basic school supplies (pens, pencils, paper, etc) throughout the year. When there’s a great sale, I stock up. This not only saves money, but makes it a whole lot easier to get ready for back to school!

    Reply
  245. Erin M.

    I’m preparing my attitude and head into full on support mode!
    I need to be all ears and honestly, quite empathetic to my baby sister’s first year of kindergarten starting next week!

    Reply
  269. Dawn Lattanzi

    I buy my back to school supplies early as they go on sale and I stock up on things like .25 glue sticks and crayon packs. That way we don’t run out the rest of the year and have to pay full price.

    Reply
  275. Jimmy

    My tip is to wait for the supply list from school so you don’t waste money on things you don’t need to buy.

    Reply
  277. Joseph Stowell

    It’s relatively much easier now than when I went to school many years ago. Now, the assignments are on the web along with a list of supplies the kids will need. In addition, the clothing requirements are also listed and the local stores have the items in a separate display. So, the real trick is simply scheduling your trips to the stores and hope your kid doesn’t grow a foot before he or she has worn the new clothing for more than a couple of weeks.

    Reply
  282. Sharon

    During the summer months schedules often get disrupted and bedtimes aren’t usually as early. It’s a good idea to ease the kids back into their school year schedule by transitioning to their earlier bedtime gradually as the school year approaches–and also get them up at the time they will need to be up once school starts. That’s my tip!

    Reply
  289. Amanda Starr

    I always like to start practicing both bedtime and getting up in the morning about two weeks before school starts so it’s a bit easier on everyone

    Reply
  300. Autumn b.

    save yourself the hassle of going from store to store and just do all your shopping at one place, it might cost a little more but isn’t it worth not having to stand in a million long lines?

    autumn398 @ yahoo.com

    Reply
  306. brandlyn

    I always shop for school supplies during the tax free hoilday. That is one of the best things about going back to school, saving money.

    Reply
  311. sarah d.

    Watch the Sunday ads and get the school supply list ahead of time to look for the best deals. Shopping second hand for clothes – you can get brand new stuff (tags still on the items) for CHEAP!

    Reply
  312. Catherine

    Try to get started as early as possible, so you’re not rushing around at the last minute and forced to buy things that you don’t really want or are too expensive

    Reply
  322. Nicole May

    Well, my kids aren’t in school yet, but my tip would be to get them waking up and going to bed at the time they’ll need to when school starts two weeks before school does start.

    Reply
  337. Sonia Beshiri

    Start going to bed early, make schedules, for the newer students… read books about school and enjoy the countdown.

    Reply
  339. Alex K

    My tip is to create a calendar with everything you need to do. You should create two entries. 1 for the deadline date and 1 for the date you will do it

    Reply
  342. addrienne mertens

    i go to the second hand store for all my sons clothes..he grows so fast i can get name brand, some new for way less. he looks good and as he grows out of them i send them back and get more.

    Reply
  346. Crystal F

    My big thing is wait to buy the school room supplies like bleach wipes and tissues. Buying for back to school is already so expensive with schoold clothes and supplies. Most people buy all of that stuff at the start of school and the teacher starts running out of it after Christmas. Wait to buy your share of the supplies until after Christmas. This will make it a little easier on your budget and help the teacher out. Thank you!

    Reply
  354. Thao

    One tip is to look through previous year’s supplies and see what can be reused like rulers and binders. It can save some money

    member(dot)thao(at)gmail.com

    Reply
  365. Jana

    Buy a Sharpie. Take a few minutes to write your child’s name inside his/her jacket, coat, backpack, and lunchbox. You spent a lot of money on these things, if they are lost at school your child has a better chance of getting them back if there is a name on it. The lost and found pile at our school reaches the ceiling by year’s end – all with no names.

    Reply
  371. vantalee

    One tip is to buy a good sturdy and reliable backpack not just a cute one. You don’t want to waste money on having to repurchase in a month or two when the straps start to tear at the bottom.

    Reply
  378. Katie

    I buy a bunch of clothes for my daughter on eBay…we get tons of stuff for way less than I’d spend in stores!

    Reply
  387. Amanda A

    My best back to school tip is to leave the tv off in the mornings. Getting ready is so much faster without it on! If you make sure that it is off in the mornings the week leading up to school starting, then it will be easier to make it on the bus on time!

    Reply
  396. Cynthia C

    My tip is to take the little ones to their school before it starts so they can see where they will be going and get comfortable with their surroundings.

    Reply
  400. Patricia

    The best tip I can give is to make a list and buy it on sale. If it is a really great deal buy 2 incase the item gets lost.

    Reply
  404. Susan C

    My advice is to be prepared to spend more than you think you will need. School photos. student body cards, gym clothes and the like all add up to a small fortune.
    smchester at gmail dot com

    Reply
  411. Debbie Bellows

    don’t wait until the last minute to get school supplies to ensure that you are able to get everything you need!

    Reply
  418. jeanine

    i’m a homeschooler so my tip is to start the year early in august so if something happens during the school year, you can take a break and not get off track.

    Reply
  431. debbie

    My tip is to get a large basket for each child that can fit their backpacks, lunchboxes, supplies, etc. All lost “items” can be tossed into these.
    fourkidsrgreat(at)gmail.com

    Reply
  433. Meaghan F.

    I would suggest going to stores like T.J. Maxx to look for clothes and backpacks, as they tend to have really good products for fairly cheap. I would also suggest waiting to buy school supplies, like pencils until they start having them on sale in the circulars for stores and try to find coupons if you can. BIC has coupons now and then for their products and so does post-it.

    Reply
  434. Debbie C

    I think taking the kids out for a meal at a very kid oriented restaurant the night before the first day of school helps ease some first day tensions and celebrates the summer they’ve had.

    Reply
  448. anna c

    i host separate back to school parties for my kids so they can connect with friends they missed over the summer and feel confident (and excited!~) abt starting up again. thx for the giveaway!

    Reply
  454. Tabathia B

    one tip is to check out consignment shops for back to school clothing and don’t wait for no tax weekend sometimes you can get great deals at the end of july on school supplies
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  474. Erin Walsh

    It’s hard to start and stop routines so it’s best to start getting back to school year sleep habits a few weeks before school starts. So start going back to the earlier bed times now, so that they’ll be ready for it when school starts.

    Reply
  485. Leslie Price

    My back to school tip is to put away some of the new school supplies for later in the year when prices are back to normal.

    Reply
  489. Ashley

    definitely start getting into a routine of going to bed earlier and getting up at the right time for school a couple of weeks before.

    Reply
  501. Rachel Higgs

    Always shop early. go ahead and pick up a few extras for things that will need replacing throughout the year, while they are still on sale

    Reply
  502. D Sorensen

    I set-up storage bins by the kitchen door the kids come in after school. There backpacks and other surprises get left in the bin with their name on it, for me to go through later in the evening.

    Reply
  504. Paula Hafner

    By plenty of extra school supplies while they’re on sale. Crayons break, scissors get lost, and paper gets used up quickly. You’ll save a lot of money this way. Extra crayons and markers also make good stocking stuffers 🙂

    Reply
  508. Yvonne Butler

    Start a couple of weeks before school starts for smaller kids and get the bedtime set for earlier so the kids will be used to going to bed on time.

    Reply
  513. Jill Myrick

    I normally buy all of my children’s school supplies in bulk when they are clearance the previous year and stock them.
    That way when everyone is in a fuss to get school supplies most of our things are already purchased and waiting. We usually only have to pick up a couple of things.
    Thank you so much for the giveaway.

    jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com

    Reply
  524. Deanna G.

    A back to school tip I have is to re-use some of last years school supplies. You don’t have to buy everything new!

    Reply
  532. Annette E

    We look for school supply deals about 1 month before school starts. You’ll have to shop a different stores for different supplies but it’s so worth it.

    Reply
  536. Claire

    Shop clearance racks for clothing! You can find great clothes at a fraction of the normal price if you take the time out to go through the clearance section 🙂

    Reply
  538. Kristy H

    One tip was picking up school supplies thruout the summer! I found so many items that I knew at least one of the kids would need, on clearance, that I’m about done with all of shopping!
    I figure if I have stuff left that the kids wont use, i’ll donate it, and someone else can still get good use of it!

    Reply
  545. Michelle S

    My Back to School tip would be to start getting kids on a morning routine about two weeks b4 school starts so that the transition will go as smoothly as possible. And don’t forget to Label EVERYTHING with child’s name.
    rsj2000mrs@gmail.com

    Reply
  552. MamaKat

    My tip is to teach your kids to pack their own lunches. It saves a ton of time for me and it is a great learning experience for the kids.

    Reply
  554. Suzanne Denys

    I usually try to stock up on supplies from the year before during the really good sales. Sometimes it works out great and other times not so much. You can’t go wrong with buying extra glue, pencils, notebooks and folders in assortment of colors though.

    Reply
  558. Kimberly

    My tip is to buy plenty of school supplies in the begining of the year. Everything is extra cheap and you won’t have ot worry about shopping for notebooks in January!

    Reply
  566. Kristin

    I start EARLY. Like, June early. I don’t want to have to deal with crowds, prices (plus spending all that money at once), and dealing with a selection that’s been picked-over.

    Reply
  571. Brandy Byrne

    I get all of my shopping done super early to beat the crowds. I also take each child to meet his/her teacher so they are more comfortable about going back to school.

    Reply
  577. nancy

    I take the kids with me to buy school supplies every year. They get to choose the styles, colors, etc, and it gets them more excited about starting school again

    nblexp at gmail dot com

    Reply
  584. Julie L

    I start buying school supplies when stores have sales starting in July….my daughter and I go to Goodwill to look for jeans which we have gotten for $5.00 name brand

    Reply
  585. Pauline M

    I am notorious for waiting until the last minute and I’ve found with kids, this never ends up well. Make sure that you give yourself enough time to take advantage of the sales and prepare a game plan for getting your little guys everything they need to go!

    Reply
  592. Valeen N

    We have hooks by the backdoor so the backpacks can get hung up right away. There’s a garbage can right by it so as we go through backpacks each night, we can throw away the junk!

    Reply
  594. Deanna

    Get your kid on a “school schedule” several days before the first day of school so it is not such a shock to his/her system. 😉

    Reply
  601. Barbara

    Shop your local dollar stores first. The ones here have great pens, paper, tablets, binders, pencils and cute erasers, crayons, etc. all for much less than even the sale price at other stores.

    Reply
  603. Debbie

    We start two weeks before the first day and get up 1 hour before school wake up time. The week before we get up at the school wake up time. Makes for a much smoother transition that first week of school since the kids have adjusted to the time (morning and bedtime already).

    Reply
  607. Jennifer R

    Start the week before school starts with the earlier bedtimes and getting up and getting ready in the morning.

    Reply
  608. Jennifer R

    Start the week before school starts with the earlier bedtimes and getting up and getting ready in the morning.

    Reply
  609. Jennifer R

    Start the week before school starts with the earlier bedtimes and getting up and getting ready in the morning.

    Reply
  618. julieh

    My tip is to shop sales for school supplies year round so you don’t have to spend a lot of money at the last minute.

    Reply
  620. Erin E

    My tip is to shop early in the season and early in the morning to avoid the crazyness (as much as possible). Thank you for the lovely giveaway.

    sewmuchstuff at ymail dot com

    Reply
  627. Jaclyn Reynolds

    I try to shop all in one day so I don’t have to keep running out here and there. I want it all DONE! 🙂

    Reply
  649. Lia

    Start with your jeans or pants and color co-ordinate the kids clothes around that, even the shoes and socks tops shirts belts and what have you

    Reply
  668. Marsha Hembrick

    Introduce yourself to the teacher. As a teacher it is nice to be able to meet the parents and be able to answer any simple questions the parents may have. This helps to get the year off to a good start.

    Reply
  669. Laura

    To help get ready, we do a few “test runs” before school starts. We practice getting up early, grabbing breakfast and picking out clothes. It helps make everyone a little less anxious.

    Reply
  672. kimo

    my back to school tip is to to shop early to beat the crazies that come out at the last minute!

    kimojax9 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  682. Steph

    My tip is to save some of the new crayons, pens, etc. until the middle of the year to replace things, otherwise you’ll have to buy when they’re not on sale

    Reply
  684. Katie R.

    My tip is to have plans for meals. Plan out and prepare as many meals as you can during the weekend so you don’t have to stress about it during the week.

    Reply
  686. nancy

    Have the kids straighten up their rooms before school starts, makes it easier for them to concentrate

    nblexp at gmai dot com

    Reply
  695. Lauren

    Begin going to bed early atleast a week before school starts so that it is easier to do on the night before the first day of school. Thanks!!

    Reply
  704. Sarah C

    Make sure you stick to the budget, but also be flexible and allow for a couple of “splurges” that make the kids feel special.
    soluckyducky(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  707. Kate Hayes

    My daughter is getting ready to start kindergarten, so in preparation for that, we have made several visits to the school already. We’ve walked through the halls, taken a tour of the kindergarten hallway, visited the art, music, gym, and computer rooms, and sometimes we just play outside on the playground.

    Reply
  710. Karen

    I buy all their school supplies as soon as the sales start and bag them up by child so that they are ready to go! If pencils need to be sharpened, or names put on various items, I do it as soon as I buy them so I am not left with a huge pile of work at the end of the summer.

    Reply
  713. kathy pease

    i started shopping for deals and clothes clearances right after school let out for the summer that way by the time it rolls around again i dont have to run all over the place im pretty well set 🙂

    Reply
  721. samantha

    Shop on the no tax weekend! (if your state has it) Sales and no taxes! it might be a bit of a busy period, but you save so much!

    Reply
  728. Charity S.

    I always shop for school supplies early. I try to stock up on school items, and leave the crowds for everyone else.

    Reply
  737. Roxann

    Before you go shopping search all the sale papers because the stores all want your business and competition is fierce.

    Reply
  742. Rosey

    My back to school tip for my teen is to let him pick out his own clothes within a specified budget, and then pay for it when he’s done. Otherwise we argue and stress each other out. He hates me saying, ‘Look, this is nice.’ And I hate him trying on clothes two sizes too large. I’ve been letting him do his own thing since middle school (he’s a senior now) and it sure makes getting ready for school time a lot easier!

    Reply
  743. Chrysa

    When school supplies are on sale super cheap at this time of year, make sure you stock up enough for replenishment at mid-term

    Reply
  751. trixx

    throughout the year i have my daughter draw on brown paper bags. when the school year starts, she has wonderfully decorative lunch bags. sometimes my hubby uses them too. =)

    Reply
  756. Talitha Lee

    Make sure to stock up on the basics for school and plan out the 1st week of school ahead of time. The headache will be far less severe that way! Thanks for the contest!

    Reply
  757. Sarah L

    Hit all the thrift stores! Keep going back if you don’t find what you’re looking for. Thanks for the contest.

    Reply
  758. brian e.

    Thanks for the giveaway…my back to school tip is to provide your child with a well lighted, distraction-free study area i.e. TV, radio, iPod, etc. turned off.

    senorpiero [at] yahoo [dot] com

    Reply
  765. heather c

    To avoid a meltdown the first day of school upon wake-up, gradually set the alarm earlier and earlier until you get to the actual wake-up time, and keep it there for a few days before school starts.

    Reply
  766. Charlene Kuser

    During the last two weeks of summer, re-introduce a school year bedtime. Begin waking late sleepers earlier and earlier, closer to the hour they’ll need to rise when school begins.

    Reply
  774. Veronica Garrett

    Our state has a tax free shopping period for school supplies before school starts. It is even good on computers. Shop and save.

    Reply
  778. Justine

    My best tip is to make sure you bring their actual school supply sheet with you when you’re getting things, it’s the only way to get the correct stuff!

    Reply

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