Back To School Advice
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Washington, DC, July 22, 2002
– Kids today are definitely flexing their spending
muscles more than ever before, and generally using
them on items for which their parents aren’t willing
to pay. Yet, a sizeable number of consumers are
finding that their children are almost as
enthusiastic about using their own money to buy the
more mundane back-to-school basics, according to a
just-released National Retail Federation (NRF)
survey.
The poll reveals that
roughly one in three consumers (37.7 percent) with
children age 6 to 17 years old say their kids plan
to use their own money for back-to-school shopping
this year. And, on average, those children will
spend $131 on back-to-school items -- an addition
of almost one third of their parents’ total
household back-to-school budgets.
Overall, consumers with
school-age children said they will spend an
average of $442 per household on back-to-school
shopping in 2002, relatively unchanged from last
year’s average of $457 per household. However, it
appears that low-income households (earning
$25,000 or less per year) will use a greater
portion of their income on back-to-school
shopping. Those households plan to spend
significantly more than the overall -- an average
of $513.
The survey, conducted for
NRF by Virginia-based Market Facts, Inc.,
highlights the significant disparity in child
spending based on their age. Nearly half (49.1
percent) of households with ‘tweens and teens –
age 13 to 17 years old – say their kids will use
their own money on back-to-school purchases. And
perhaps not surprisingly, those households also
say their children plan to spend almost 11 percent
more than the average for all ages on
back-to-school shopping this year, or $147.
Meanwhile, only 31.4 percent of consumers with
kids age 6 to 12 years old say their children will
shop with their own money; and when they do,
they’ll only spend the average amount.
“When parents gear up for
back-to-school, they know they’re in for a
financial tug-of-war with their children,” said
NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. “But, it
appears that for many families, especially
lower-income ones, the retail back-to-school
season offers a particularly attractive
combination of savings, strategic sales tax
holidays (in many states), and fresh Fall options
to please kids – and their wallets.”*
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However, the most important
thing a parent can do to get ready for the upcoming school
year doesn't cost a dime. "Creating a plan for two-way
communication between parents and teachers is essential to
a child's success in class," said Dr. Richard E. Bavaria,
VP of Education for Sylvan Learning Center. "Now is the
time parents should put "Back to School Night" on their
calendar, and think about how they will best communicate
with their child's teacher."
Helping children get back into
the routine of school days is equally important. Sylvan
Learning Center, a national education leader, recommends
that parents begin establishing "school routines" early.
Back-to-school tips for parents and children include:
- Organize your family's
daily schedule by creating consistent times for
homework, play and bedtime.
- Encourage recreational
reading and journal writing after the "homework session"
is over.
- Never complete your child's
homework assignments for them.
- Break homework sessions
into small segments of time.
- Stress independent thinking
skills, and encourage your child's thinking patterns.
- Encourage your child's
effort to learn by providing a good example -- read a
book, catch up on your own work, be available for
questions, discuss what he/she is learning and address
any concerns about school.
- Give your child a homework
notebook and encourage him/her to take notes on the
specifics of an assignment when the teacher explains the
requirements.
- Set aside time each day for
family time. Share the events and details of your day.
- Before bed each night,
prepare for the next day by packing lunches and
backpacks, picking out clothing, and putting all
belongings in one standard location, making the morning
rush less stressful.
Sylvan Learning Center offers
five suggestions to help parents create a strong
relationship with their child's teacher.
- Place a notebook in your
child's book bag. Use this as a communication vehicle
between you and your child's teacher.
- Contact your child's
teacher during the first two weeks of school to
determine the homework policy, expectations and
opportunities regarding parental involvement in
classroom activities, and recommendations for learning
activities at home. Also establish two-way communication
methods -- let them know the best way to reach you, and
find out how they prefer to be contacted.
- Generate a list of
questions to ask your child's teacher at the first
parent/teacher conference. Include questions regarding
what your child should be learning, what are his/her
best subjects, what do their test scores indicate about
their learning, and whether he/she is completing
assignments regularly.
- Ask your child how she
thinks she is doing in school. If possible, suggest a
three-way conference with you, your child and the
teacher.
- Find out how your child's
school accommodates differences in learning styles; what
types of programs are available if extra help is
required.
Sylvan Learning Center
provides personalized instructional services to students
of all ages and skill levels. With more than 850 centers
located throughout North America, it is the largest
organization of its kind in the industry. Sylvan's
education professionals provide enrichment and remediation
in reading, writing, mathematics, study and test-taking
techniques and SAT*/ACT* prep. Sylvan has helped over 1
million students achieve success. * Source: National Retail Federation
2002 back-to-school survey conducted by Market Facts, Inc. |
