Back to School Items to Be Had For Cheaper

If you are looking for a while to save money this fall then try cutting back on what you spend on school supplies. Your kid will always have some kind of advice for you on what they think you should buy but if you need to save money then you should do a bit of homework of your own before you start spending. In fact you will soon find that there are some things you do not need to buy.

For instance, many kids want a whole new set of pencils, crayons or markers when they still have perfectly good set left over from last year. Check their old schoolbags and the closets to see if they have a full set; items like this do not have to be replaced every school year.

When it comes to pens all you really need is a blue and black ink. Do not splurge on a full set of color pens as most teachers do not allow tests or essays to be written in red, green, pink or any other colors at all.

Other items that you may not need to replace are calculators, tape, scissors and pencil cases. Usually this stuff is in a desk or in last year's b ask-to-school backpack. If they must have a new pencil case keep in mind that you do not necessarily have to buy one. You can recycle another type of zippered pouch, like an old make up case and use it as a pencil case as well.

You probably don't have to buy your kid yet another novelty pencil sharpener. These sharpeners can be cute and colorful but no kid really needs one. This is because most classrooms are equipped with their own pencil sharpeners.

Your kid might also be asking for a new 'back-to-school' wardrobe. This is not a mandatory rule; it is a tradition invented by clothing stores. Be sure to search through their closets and see what still fits and what still can be worn. If your kid wants something new show them a way that they can wear the jacket or shirt so it looks new. This also treats them to be creative and thrifty when it comes to shopping for clothes when they are older.

The only time you need to buy your kid a new lunchbox is if they have somehow outgrown it. You do not want your kid to be carrying one that has graphics that can be too young for it.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , , ,

So Your Kid Wants to Be a Vegetarian?

This can happen at any age but it is mostly kids between ten and sixteen that want to become vegetarians. There is sometimes a lot of pressure from schoolmates to not hurt animals by eating them. Sometimes the pressure comes from books like 'The Skinny Bitch Diet.' A child can get her hands on this and decide that the best way to stay rake thin all of her life is to simply eat nuts and seeds.

Kids that are ten to twelve are often very concerned with the environment and treatment of animals. Teens, particularly girls, tend to want to eat a vegan diet for self-image reasons.

Let your child know that you approve of her decision to become a vegetarian but at the same time make sure you sit down and plan a diet with the child.

Vegetarian diets can be missing protein, iron, vitamin B12 and calcium so be sure to provide supplementation if needed. You should also be aware that a vegetarian child may gain weight a lot quicker simply because they tend to eat less protein and more high carb foods like grains and breads.

One thing that might work for you is getting your child to 'Color Their Diet'. This teaches them to eat the dark and richly colored vegetables that are so good for them –
• Brown foods include whole grains like mahogany rice or whole wheat bread, figs, brown pears, walnuts, cinnamon, kidney beans or spelt noodles.
• Black foods include lentils, black soy beans or blackberries.
• Beige and White foods include jicama, golden quinoa, white beans, garbanzos beans, cauliflower, bananas, or sweet onions.
• Red foods include pomegranates, raspberries, red quinoa, beets or rhubarb.
• Yellow foods include pineapples, squash, or star fruit. Try spaghetti squash in place of white, refined spaghetti for added fiber, vitamins and immune-boosting.
• Blue foods include blueberries or blue corn chips.
• Purple foods include eggplant, red cabbage (which looks purple), blood oranges (which can be purple inside), and purple potatoes.
• Green foods include avocado, Swiss chard, cilantro, sugar snap, Brussels sprouts, peas, or kiwis.
• Orange foods include mango, oranges, pumpkin, orange baby tomatoes, sweet potato and apricots.

The idea is to eat at least eight different colors of fruits and vegetables a day to stay healthy. Make sure that you have adequate vitamin supplementation on hand, particularly a supply of the B vitamins to keep your kid healthy.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , ,