A $586 Trend

I think I’ve got my head in the sand.

I was reading an update from The Culture Translator (if you don’t receive their emails, I highly recommend them), that this year, parents are spending roughly $586 per child, according to the New York Post. And that’s DOWN from last year.

Um, come again?

I understand that the price of school supplies themselves have gone up, but where is the rest of this money being spent? If I had to make one guess – it’s clothing.

We have a soon-to-be 4th grader and I’ll admit, we are entering the “name-brand” phase of life. And I remember being in the same boat as a kid, seeing the Nike, Reebok (yes, that was cool back then), Adidas, and thinking oh they are so cool. But where does the connection between wearing a certain name brand and wanting it for ourselves, satisfy? Because as we all know, it’s going to change tomorrow.

So this $586 isn’t just for today. This number will grow throughout the year as we see others wearing what’s “cool”. Parents should probably wait until AFTER school starts, to see what others are wearing, if they want to stay in the styles! But what benefit does having it all, have?

The desire to feel accepted, loved, and feel a sense of belonging can often be based on what everyone else has. We are looking for it in all the wrong places. It is hard to teach our children that we aren’t to worry about what we wear (Matthew 6) when kids constantly show off their new “you name it” at school. I can already see the angst it builds in our daughter. But each time, it gives us a chance to talk about life lessons. Is that person any happier? Have they found that “one” thing and will now be forever satisfied? Are they any cooler?

The answer is no. Every time.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a battle we fight too. Mazy has a LONG list of “cool” things she’d like and sometimes Facebook Marketplace comes through because what’s considered “name brand” does often last longer. Shoot, I have a black Under Armour zip-up jacket that I bought probably 16 years ago and still wear weekly to this day. If you know me, you can probably picture it because I wear it all the time. BUT. I’m almost certain this isn’t true for our kids. They grow out of it. The trends change. And $586 is spent the next year. I kept a pair of low-rise flares from college and guess what? They are back in style! But what mentality are we teaching our children? What does it take to fit in? What are we “clothing” our kids with? The fruits of the Spirit or the next trend?

Again, please know I’m not preaching, but relating. And I too, need to ensure I am helping frame a Biblical mindset about clothes and trends with how the Lord sees it all. I don’t want to put the desire for our daughter to belong over the desire for her to be compassionate, kind, and to live out her faith. Because in the end, what matters most? And not sure my $586 in spending will help accomplish this goal.

Oh the battle will only continue, but keep fighting! It’ll be worth it in the end.