4/1/2013
It takes a lot of money to get children ready for school each year, including the purchase of school supplies, clothing, and whatever else school administrators order parents to purchase.
Yet the amount parents spend on their children for these purchases varies by region, grade level, and even whether they discuss money matters as a family. While these variances are expected, what is unexpected is that the amount spent is similar regardless of whether they have one, two, or four children.
The number of mothers who say their child’s school asks parents to contribute too much with regard to school supplies grows from 23% for moms of kindergartners to 27% for moms of elementary school children and 32% for moms of middle and high school students.
Schools Demand Too Much From Moms
Moms in the Northwest (28%), South (27%), and Midwest (27%) are more likely than moms in the West (21%) to be displeased with how much they have to spend on school supplies. Moms with children attending public schools are also more likely to be unhappy with this expenditure than moms with students attending private schools (27% versus 22%).
Meanwhile, moms of kindergartners are twice as likely as moms of middle or high school students to purchase more school supplies than what’s recommended (6% versus 3%).
Moms with children in public schools are less likely than moms with students in private schools to describe themselves as bargain hunters (45% versus 51%) but are more likely to say they prefer one-stop shopping (26% versus 21%). Though almost inconsequential in number, private-school moms are three times as likely as public-school moms to say they will do almost anything to avoid going to a store in person (3% versus 1%). Notably, moms with one child are also more likely than moms of several children to prefer to shop online and avoid stores at all costs (2% versus less than 1%).
Moms with children in middle (18%) and high school (20%) are more likely than moms with children in kindergarten (11%) to feel the level of participation required for their child’s school is a burden that they don’t have the time or resources to keep up with.
Kids Get $3 for Lunch-Hot or Cold
This feeling of burden does not increase with additional children. Some 16% of moms with one child say it’s a burden, compared to 17% for moms of two children and 18% for moms of three children or more. Moms in the Northeast are the ones regionally that are least happy with volunteer participation.
Parents spend an average $3 per day on their child’s lunch, which includes both food items packed at home and purchased in the school cafeteria. However, the cost of lunch varies widely depending on children’s grade level and whether they attend private or public school ($3.80 versus $2.90).
Almost half of mothers (45%) feel “very uncomfortable” with the amount they have saved for their children’s college tuition. Interestingly, despite the age gap, moms of kindergarten and high school students are equally likely to feel comfortable with their college savings (14% each).
Moms in the Midwest feel most uncomfortable (49%), while moms in the West are happiest with their college savings (12%).
Source: Parenting Group, Victoria Seremeta, 2 Park Ave., 10th Fl., New York, NY 10016; 212-779-312; victoria.seremeta@bonniercorp.com; www.parenting.com.
© 2013 Business Valuation Resources, LLC (BVR). May not be reproduced without written consent of publisher.