Family Forum: Back To School

Family Forum is the new name of our previously named Moms Talk column. This is a new initiative on our Patch sites to reach out to local families.

Also, this new forum will allow you to reach out to your neighbors as well as we share comments and information with Sayville, Sachem, Bayport, Blue Point and Patchogue. We invite you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for families.

Each week in Family Forum, our council of experts take your questions, give advice and share solutions. If you are interested in joining our council, email Denise@patch.com.

Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children.

Family Forum will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. Do you know of local moms raising their children in the Tiger Mother's way and is it the best way? Where can we get information on local flu shot clinics for children? How do we talk to our children about the Tucson shootings? How can we help our children's schools weather their budget cutbacks?

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today. Please tell us your opinion in the comments section below.

Today’s question: When do you start shopping for school supplies and school clothes? Where do you find the best deals? 

Kim Kaufer: I begin shopping for school supplies NOW (July). With 3 students in our home I purchase certain things in bulk, such as: glue sticks, composition books, folders, pencils and markers. I always purchase the 3-ring binders if I see them on sale because they are costly if you have to run out on the last minute to buy one. As for school clothes, I have NEVER gone school clothes shopping in August or September. It just doesn't make sense to do that! The only thing we get for the new school year are socks, underwear and shoes. They wear their shorts and summer shirts right through October . I then buy their new jeans and other clothing in early November. There was only one year I did school clothes shopping in August with my oldest son. It was the same year that he grew 5 inches and 3 shoe sizes between August and December (Christmas). I will never do that again.

Sharon Boyle: After school starts.

Debbie Bacon: I wish I were more organized when it came to the purchase of school supplies, but I do have a few fabulous friends who love to find deals during the summer and I jump on the bandwagon! When they get their Sunday circulars or happen to be shopping where there is a deal, they usually let me know and I scoot right there to get the same. Otherwise, I end up paying top dollar for the obscene amount of expo markers kids need for the year. Why don't we use chalk anymore? As for clothes, I've always gone to the mall or outlets before September, but now I wait until fall when things quiet down, since the kids only wear their summer clothes at the start of the school year anyway.