Miss Lori is trying not to succumb to the back to school push

You know why August gets on my nerves? Because I feel like the World is rushing me through it. “How,” you ask? By talking incessantly about going back to school. Now I realize that there are many unfortunate souls who actually have to return to the hallowed halls of learning in this crazy, hot, ultra Summer month. And I truly feel for them. I actually think it is criminal that any child has to goto school in August. ( I am sporting a “FREE the kids” t-shirt as opposed to a “Free Steven Slater” T-shirt.) But that is a bigger nut to chew. So, for our purposes here, I am going to focus on my children and my plight.

I have still got my feet firmly planted in Summer. (Well, maybe not firmly. Because of the heat wave they are very sweaty!) But all of the advertising is forcing me to think about September. And now they have brainwashed my kids! My kids are not only thinking about going back to school, but they are talking about it too! My kids want to go shopping and buy jeans and boots. (It’s a hundred degrees outside people! I don’t want to see a boot unless it is snowing!) But I am no match for the lure of hip hoppety back to school ads on the tv. So I have to give in.

I log onto the school websites that I have been avaoiding like the plague, and pull up that which I truly dread the most next to taxes, back to school supply lists. (AHHHHHH!) Let me say it plain and clear. I HATE BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING! I do. I really do. Mostly because it means that I am fast loosing a grip on Summer, and soon my children will no longer be around for frolicing. (Yes, I frolic…occassionally…in between concerts.) I much prefer awaking without the panic of getting lunches made and homework finished, before getting hurriedly into the car and screaching our way to school. School supplies represents the first steps back to that life. Ugh!! But it is my duty, and so with hung head, heavy heart, and soon to be empty wallet, I begin my odessey known as “back to school shopping”. (Cue scary music).

Now the first problem I must solve is the three separate lists. I must combine them so I have a maseter shopping list. It’s so hard to have to keep referring back to each list. Makes me crazy. (And let’s face it I am crazy enough already.) Once I sew these three mosterous lists together I must peruse the leftover supplies from last year that have been accumulating dust in my garage. Although I have to be sneaky about it, because eventhough these supplies have never been used my kids, like many other children, have a tendency to turn their noses up at the “last years model” of supplies. (No, it doesn’t make sense to me either, but I just work with it.) I hide the “out of fashion” supplies until I can mix thm into the new bags. Oh yeah, I’ve got this thing licked! Once I determine exactly what I need to buy I hit the circulars. It’s a hunt for the best buys in town. I circle and make notes, like the good student I am. With my store circulars mastered I plot out my driving course to get the most done in the least amount of hours and miles. You think I am kidding. I really do all of this. It’s the only way I can stay same through the process. Well, it was the only way. But this year I thought I wouldn’t go it alone. This year I thought I would reach out to you, my community, for help. Many of us are in the same boat, so why not help each other out?

I would love to hear from you about your back to school shopping trips. Even more I would love to hear about any special deals that you may find that you can pass along to all of us so that maybe our wallets don’t have to be completely emptied.

SMILE On!

ML

Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista , ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. She is the Chicago Family Entertainment Blogger for Examiner.com and a Discussion Leader for MomsLikeMeChicago. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

BTW for all of you Chicago folks. Governor Pat Quinn  signed legislation to create the state’s first-ever sales tax holiday. From August 6 to 15, the 5 percent state portion of sales tax will be waived on school-related items. Local government sales tax still has to be paid, which would be 4.75 percent in Chicago.

The reduced sales tax rate will apply to all school supplies — paper, pencils, chalk, crayons, tape, glue, etc. — as well as shoes and clothing that costs less than $100 apiece, including uniforms, outerwear, gloves, hats and mittens.

My 2nd Grader

My 5h grader

• 7 two pocket folders
• looseleaf paper (wide rule)
• 7 spiral notebooks
• Assignment notebook with calendar (Agenda)
• # 2 pencils
• pens – black and red or green for grading
• colored pencils, markers (no permanent),or crayons
• highlighter
• eraser
• scotch tape
• glue stick
• scissors
• pencil pouch
• ruler
• protractor
• calculator
• post-it notes
• pocket dictionary and thesaurus
• ream of copy paper
• box of tissue
• paper towels
• cleaning spray (Windex or other brand)
• book covers
• pencil sharpener (enclosed only)

My 7th grader