So you're in a hurry to get your kids ready for school and you can not wait any longer to go to the store to buy supplies. If I were you I would slow down and use some common sense.

Think about it... Do you already have a supply list from this years teachers? If you do not have a supply list then you are not ready to go shopping. It's like going grocery shopping when you are hungry, without a list. Sure you can go and buy pencils, paper, notebooks, erasers, scissors, crayons, rulers, and everything the store has if you want to make sure that little Johnny is ready for school. But if I were you I would follow these steps concerning school supplies.

1. Call your childs' school and find out if they have a school wide supply list for the school and grade that your son or daughter will be attending.

2. If they have a list pick the list up and take little Susie with you. It will be an enjoyable trip where you can show your son or daughter how much you value education.

3. If they do not have a list then you will be saving a lot of time and money if you will simply wait until your child goes to school. Many teachers wait until school starts so that they can send a supply list home that meets the needs of their particular class.(Not all teachers will have the same list) If your child has several teachers then they will have a separate list from each of their teachers.

4. As soon as your kid gets home you will be eager to ask them how the first day of school went. Make sure that you remember to ask them for the supply list that their teacher gave them. Once again, include your child in this shopping trip for their supplies.

As a teacher for thirty years and a parent for twenty one years I can imagine some of your thoughts. Well, what if the teacher does not send me a list? Common sense goes a long way in this situation. This probably implies that one of two things are true. Either little Johnny already lost the list, or his teacher does not care if he has a spiral notebook, three ring binder, or loose leaf paper. Many schools have an open house either right before school starts or soon after school begins. This is a good time to once again exhibit to your child how much you value education and get to know the people who are going to be spending time with your child.

I hope these hints will be helpful as you start the new school year. Remember: Parenting is the most important job you will ever have as an adult.