It’s that time of year when we have to take our kids back to school shopping. My daughter has already graduated so I’m down to just one kid: my son who is heading to high school.
My daughter LOVED back-to-school shopping while my son hates it. I have no idea why. It’s not just the supplies he has no interest in, he also has no interest in buying clothes. He loves clothes and shoes, and is very picky with both, but doesn’t like to shop for them… or maybe it’s shopping with me.
Below are the must-have items and tips for back-to-school shopping with teen boys.
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Supplies
Let them pick their supplies. At this age, they already know what they like and what is useful. If they absolutely do not want to go, ask them what colours they would like and ask for suggestions. If there’s one thing I know with teenagers, it’s to pick your battles, and school supplies are not the hill we’re dying on this year. Below are the items you will need.
- zip up binder like this one
- dividers
- lined paper
- pens
- pencils
- pencil sharpener
- highlighters
- erasers
- white out
- ruler
- calculator
- graph paper
- post-it notes
- index cards (for flashcards)
School Clothes
Remember when I said pick your battles? This is the hill we’re dying on. There is no point in buying clothes they won’t wear. If they won’t go with you, then send them shopping with some money and they can do it. If your son is like mine and just hates shopping in general, drag him to the mall.
This year, because he’s going from Junior High to High School, we decided on a two-part shopping spree. We picked up a couple of pairs of sneakers (he’s super into those this year) and two hoodies. Mid-September we will go back to the mall and pick out any extra clothing he would like to wear. Going from Junior High to High school he’s going to notice a huge difference in what the other kids are wearing. I figure this way he won’t walk into school and automatically hate all his new clothes, and maybe (fingers crossed) he’ll be excited to go shopping with me in a few weeks to pick out new things.
Other Items
- Locker stuff: In our area, they don’t decorate their lockers in high school. That phases out at the beginning of junior high.
- Back Pack: Unless your son takes great care of his stuff, you’re gonna need a new one
- Lunch Bag: I picked him up a new one, but we’ll see if he uses it.
- Shoes: I always buy him a new pair for school
- Gym Bag: Always a good idea as no one is going to want to sit beside them wearing the same clothes they wore in gym class. Add some deodorant and dude shower body wipes to help keep them smelling decent.
- My son has braces so I also add an on-the-go braces kit. Click here to read about what you should put in that.
- Hygiene items. Click here to read my recommendations for teen boy hygiene.
What are your tips for back to school shopping with your teen? I’d love to hear about them in the comments section.
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