Top 5 Tips for Shopping with Your Teenager

If you're the parent of a teenage boy or girl, you know how difficult a trip to the mall can be. By this age, your teen has probably developed a personal style which may not be to your taste and liking as a parent. Teen girls may want to buy clothing that's far too revealing. Teenage boys may choose untailored or loosely fitting garments that you believe have little place in the home or classroom. Teenagers may also want to spend far more than what's needed for the occasion at hand. Or, they want to buy everything in sight.

What do you do when your shopping suggestions are met with refusals or blank stares? How can you assure your teenager you're not out of touch with today's young fashion trends? What do you do when every shopping trip with your teenage boy or girl turns into a tug or war? Sure you can head for the hills or shop online, but there may be other solutions closer to home. Don't let your teen's attitude or fashion tastes back you into a corner. Don't let your own frustrations as a parent get the better of you. With a little planning and setting reasonable expectations, your shopping trips can actually be fun and productive.

Where to start? Check out these Top 5 Tips for Shopping with Your Teenager. Sure to make a difference with parents and teens the world over.

Teen Shopping Tip 1. Make fashion and personal style an ongoing conversation with your teen. Don't wait to have this discussion for the first time at the mall. Look at teen fashion magazines and websites together and discuss fashion trends with your teen. Or watch Project Runway together. Talk about what works and doesn't work in the broadcast or print images. Ask your teen which styles appeal to him or her, and which ones don't. Share your ideas as well. By having these ongoing conversations about today's fashion trends, you can help your teenager better understand how fashion, style, cut, color, fabrics and accessories work with or against body types.

Teen Shopping Tip 2. Develop a game plan and budget for shopping. Don't take your teen to the mall without a sense of purpose and a mutually agreed upon budget. This will take the sting out of your teen having to let go of expensive, budget-busting garments and other items. It also teaches your teen how to stretch a dollar. With a budget, your teen has room to decide how much to spend and on what. This will give them some independence while, at the same time, help them prioritize what they need.

Teen Shopping Tip 3. Don't settle for less. During the shopping excursion, don't allow your teen to choose something that doesn't measure up to the goals and objectives for the shopping trip. Make sure your teen understands that sometimes you have to continue the search at another time. I know this is difficult. Who wants to return to the mall after spending precious hours in a hunt for that perfect homecoming or prom dress? Who wants to watch their teen agonize over this shirt or jacket? By allowing your teen to think about what styles are out there in the marketplace, it may help them to adjust their expectations down the line.

Teen Shopping Tip 4. Don't impulse buy. During the shopping trip, don't allow your teen to pick up odds and ends that are not essential items. After all, impulse shopping can result in buying unnecessary articles of clothing and other items that will only sit on the shelf. It can also blow the budget out of the sky. Best to keep your fashion forward teen focused on the goals and objectives of the shopping trip. In the end, this exercise will help your teen learn how to live within a budget and prioritize.

Teen Shopping Tip 5. Have fun. Shopping with your teen does not have to be grueling. On the contrary, make it fun for both of you. Allow yourself to laugh. Help your teen see the humor in some of these fashion choices. Indeed, it's a wonderful time to share thoughts and ideas and make decisions together. Enjoy every minute of it. Eventually your teen will be doing this on his or her own.

RESOURCES

Parents Magazine
www.parents.com

Radical Parenting
www.radicalparenting.com

Kids Health/Parenting Page
http://kidshealth.org/parent