PARENTS 50 SEPTEMBER 2019
BUY MORE
Secondhand clothes You
won’t worry as much about
their getting dirty or lost.
“I see how many jackets pile
up in our school’s lost and
found, so I always buy them
used for my kids,” says Seay.
Yoga shorts Does your kid
prefer to wear dresses? Put
these underneath, says Barker.
Flat cotton laces Many kids’
sneakers come with sleek,
round polyester laces that
don’t stay tied for long, says
Megan Mitchell, a first-grade
teacher in Sylvania, Ohio.
Replace them with flat cotton
laces, sold in most shoe stores.
BUY F E WE R
Long-sleeved shirts “They
inevitably turn into a tissue or a
napkin and come home filthy,”
says Tingley. “If it’s cold, your
child can put on a sweatshirt.”
Open-toed shoes Teachers
prefer sneakers over flip-flops,
Crocs, and sandals because
they’re safer for the playground.
Opt for Velcro or no-tie laces.
Pants with a fly Until your kid
masters zippers and buttons,
buy elastic-waist pants he can
easily pull on and off.If you buy The Feed
Lunchbox ($48;
feedprojects.com),
15 meals will be donated
to children in need. Plus,
the box—designed by
Lauren Bush Lauren—is
easy for kids to open
and close. Some students
are too shy to ask for
help at lunchtime,
so whatever box your kid
uses, practice with
it at home, says Nasir.It Cares!J ANS P ORT
BACKPACK
It comes with a lifetime
warranty! If your child’s
backpack rips or the
zipper breaks, send
it back and they’ll repair
it or send a new one.CRAY OL A
CRAY ONS
They’re easier to color
with because they’re less
waxy than other brands,
Seay says. Buy extra
when they’re on sale and
stash for midyear.4 Brands Teachers Can’t Live WithoutCAT & JACK
CL OT HE S
This Target brand has
no tags, limited seams,
and soft fabric. “One
of my kids is picky about
clothing, and he loves
the line,” says Seay.TICONDEROGA
P E NCI L S
They sharpen better,
and their lead doesn’t
break as easily as other
kinds do, says Jenn
Larson, a teacher in
Sacramento, California.
WARDROBE STYLING BY ANNIE CARUSO. HAIRSTYLING BY ALFRED LESTER FOR UTOPIA. GROOMING BY SUSAN DONOGHUE FOR NEXT ARTISTS. SET STYLING BY MARGUERITE WADE FOR WALTER SCHUPFER. CHILD WRANGLING BY SARAH BLASZCZAK.BACKPACK: JEFFREY WESTBROOK. CRAYONS: PETER ARDITO. SHIRT: COURTESY OF THE BRAND. PENCILS: MEMORIESARECAPTURED/GETTY. FEED LUNCH BOX: COURTESY OF THE BRAND.He’s Going Places!
Aariv, 6, feels
confident in
his sweatshirt and
pants from Finger
in the Nose,
Blundstone shoes,
and socks
from Wolf & Rita.KIDSÑBack to School