2, maybe 3 outfits and a new pair of shoes?? I'm not even getting bs a new pair of shoes because I just bought him a pair about a month ago.... Its not like new clothes are only purchased ONCE a year.... NOOOOO.... you purchase clothes all year long so why make a HUGE deal about buying a ton of clothes for back to school??

if the list is huge, turn it around on BM, and try to get it all at thrift stores , she did not say "where" to get it all, right :), just a thought. ~ 'Big girls don't cry"~ Fergie

In our home we buy 2 tops, 2 pants, socks, underware,and new shoes. They get other things throughout the year. We do not buy for bm's house either. She never did when the skids primarily lived at our home. She asked dh last year and he said no, and told her you didn't when I had them and I don't have the money to buy clothes for your house anyway.

...the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it. - The Lion King

BM shoped at walmart and other cheap stores for skids last year (and probably this year too). She dropped a hefty amount on SS10 shoes last year $8. Hope that didn't break her bank. They were so cheap and fell apart within about two months. She's so cheap.
I say 2-3 new outfits, coat (if needed), shoes and backpack.
Is BM obligated to pay 1/2 for school supplies? If she is, split up the items.

BTW- I have no issue with Walmart. I buy lots of clothes stuff there. I just think BTS shopping can be done at others stores beside Walmart and Kmart.

BM is telling you where to buy them, sorry, I need to pull my foot out of my mouth! LOL I had BM send a list for the skids before for school clothes, and it was huge, and she had told my SS, "Give this to your father & your step mom, and tell them this is what you need, I know they can't afford it, but I bought all your supplies, so they NEED to get this stuff" That is what she said, and SS told me this, so I took it for a joke, and called her bluff, and got what was on the list, a bunch of shirts, jeans, skirts etc. It took a few days of hunting the shops, but I got them some really nice things, I did go to Walmart for some of it. Then the skids go home happy with ALL their clothes, and BM was pissy for weeks over it. All we said is , hey we got what was on the list, everyone is happy, so drop it. Congrats on the baby btw. ~ 'Big girls don't cry"~ Fergie

I Was Wondering The Same Thing, my SS8 gets and im not kidding for back to school
1 BRAND NEW BACKPACK, (Whatever happend to the tony Hawk,Fox Racing and L.L.BEN backpacks??)) He gets a new one every year
2 BRAND NEW PAIS OF SHOES from Olympia Sport no less.
8 PAIRS OF PANTS
10 SHIRTS
1 BRAND NEW LUNCH BOX
and his clothing isnt cheap BM expects The Childrens Store and Gap and Old Navy, if it's not name brand she wont accept it. and I quote "I wont put my child in some cheap clothing and have him looking like a trailer park boy"- BM
This was after I bought him summer clothing TO PLAY IN fromm Wal-Mart.

It could just be my guess but one child dosnt need a truck full of clothing.

The SS's BM is telling you where to buy the clothes and has lined you out with a list? Buy what you feel you should purchase for your SS. A couple of outfits, maybe and a pair of shoes. Your SS's BM should be purchasing him clothes as well.

My SD's always wanted these HUGE shopping trips for school clothes and even when they were in college still went through the whole school clothes shopping routine as well. So did my SS. My BS gets clothes purchased for him throughout the year when his clothes get worn out. I hate these big school clothes shopping trips. I think it was mainly made up by the retailers that we all have to go "school clothes" shopping. And what is the deal with school supplies? When I was a kid I used most of the same "school supplies" from year to year. Now, every year, there is this great big list of supplies that have to be purchased. I'm trying to teach my BS that we can carry over some of this stuff from year to year and he is doing pretty good with it much to my relief. This year my BS big clothes shopping trip happened when we got our tax refunds.

We usually buy enough outfits for the first week of school plus new socks and underwear and shoes and that is it...other than the horrendous list of supplies the schools send home these days.

"One should examine oneself for a very long time before thinking of condemning others." ~Moliere

All the kids have always gone to private school, so they wear uniforms.

Day to day clothes are bought throughout the year.

Tuition for 3 children
middle SD had to have a laptop
Additional school fees
School supplies
sports fees and equipment.

My husband and I provide extra clothes for his boys to wear because their BM slacks...a lot and refuses to buy anything that doesn't come from a particular store. She gets child support but still doesn't buy a lot of clothes. The kids told me she bought 5 new shirts (for them to split) and 2 new pairs of shorts. We purchased around 10 news shirts for this school year (for both boys to split) which added to the 19 shirts that are still usable from last year, and a few new pairs of shorts. My husband and I bough each boy a new pair of shoes (she only bought new shoes for 1 boy because the other couldn't find anything at the 1 store she shops at)

However, this is all going to change next year because clothing that we purchase *magically* goes missing once it leaves our house and BM refuses to be held accountable for it. If anyone has suggestions on how to deal with that please send them my way!!