As a parent, one of your roles is to ensure that your children have clothes to wear. But with so many different types of clothes to choose from and an ever-evolving style for teenagers, it can feel hard to keep up.
Even more so, many parents have experienced stressful shopping experiences with their teenagers. Whether that be fighting over what store they can get their back to school must-haves or begrudgingly going in for a bra fitting.
Every parent has had at least one uncomfortable moment with their teen out while shopping. But the truth is, it does not have to be that way. In fact, there are numerous tips for ensuring that your shopping experience with your teenager is stress-free.
To help you make your shopping experience a positive memory for both of you, we have put together the top things to do to minimize stress and maximize the fun.
Table of Contents
1. Make a Plan Ahead of Time
One of the best ways to ensure that the experience does not spiral out of control is to make a plan before you go shopping and communicate that to your teenager. That way they not only understand what to expect but are on board with the plan before hopping in the car.
To further support the planning purposes, write out a list with your teenager ahead of time too. That way you both also know the essential items you need to be walking away with and there is less room for unnecessary items to be purchased. It is often when this happens that the stress can start to grow. So lists really help limit spontaneous purchases.
2. Go At Off-Peak Times
Shopping malls are stressful in general. So plan your shopping trip with your teen to take place during a non-buys hour so the extra crowds do not elevate any unnecessary stress. For instance, you and your teenager could go shopping as soon as the stores open in the morning. Or you can even take her out of school for the afternoon and go shopping during the weekday for special bonding time.
3. Let Them Choose Comfort
Teenagers want to be stylish and wear the top trends. While you don’t have to break the bank to get them the latest designer jacket, you can easily support them in getting some of the most stylish leggings for tweens. Leggings are an essential clothing item for any teenager’s wardrobe. Not only can they be worn at home, but also to school too. If your teen feels they are getting to come home with trendy clothes, they are going to be happy. So leggings are one of the best ways to do just that.
4. Empower Them to Choose
No teenager wants to wear what their mom chooses. So one of the best ways to avoid arguments is to let them feel empowered to choose. Of course, let them choose within reason and within your budget. But let them lead the way in sifting through what they like and what they want to try on. Wait for them to ask you what your opinion is on an outfit. This mindset will help alleviate any tension or stress that could easily happen between a mother and their teenager.
5. Feed Them First
Teenagers are growing and going through a lot of transformation. Not only do they have raging hormones, but they are likely to get hungrier faster because their body is using so much physical energy to support this growth.
That is why a great strategy is to take your teenager out to get something to eat with you first. Shopping on a full stomach is always a good idea and will prevent them from getting hungry. It is often when they are hungry that can lead to them picking a fight with you.
So eat first and then shop second.
6. Don’t Shop Till You Drop
While your teenager may say they want to continue shopping with you for longer, don’t push it with them. Shopping can be an overwhelming experience and they are bound to crash at some point. So rather than wait until they do, set a time limit of shopping with them. When the limit is reached, it is then time to go home. While it can be tempting to extend the experience, shopping for too long can make both of you feel tired and then ultimately create stressful and unnecessary tension.
7. Be Open Minded
Teenagers are full of surprises. This means that you should go into the shopping experience with an open mind and no preconceived notions of how it is going to go. Your teenager may drift to stores you are very surprised by. They may want to buy clothes you don’t agree with. O they may become uninterested much quicker than anticipated.
Conclusion
Shopping with your teenager can be stress-free if you follow these seven tips.