Fall semester is here and I’m totally not ready for this.  When we PCS to a new city I have to spend hours looking for new schools for my children and myself. This is not how I want to spend my time when there is so much that needs to be done during a move.

After researching numerous elementary schools and colleges, I finally found a school for my daughter and a great community college for me with a nursing program. I have mastered the art of flexing my class hours so I will be able to pick my children up from school and daycare on time. No problem in the time management department.

Buying extra books and school supplies is another issue. Luckily, my daughter, a second grader, has taught me a valuable lesson about saving money.

Every new school year my daughter and I pick out school supplies. This year, as we walked up and down the store aisles, I notice she hadn’t put anything in the basket. I asked, “What’s wrong, you don’t see anything that you need?” 

She replied, “No that’s not it mom. I have all my supplies.”

How does she have all her supplies? Why is this the first time I’m hearing this? 

Then, she explained, “Every school year you ask me if I need supplies and even though I say no, you buy them anyways. I’ve learned how to save my stuff. On the first day, instead of bringing all my supplies, I bring an empty backpack and two pencils. I wait for the teacher to give me the class supplies list and when I get home, the items on the list is what I put in my backpack. The rest I save for later.”  

Wow, I thought, now that’s a really smart idea.  I’ve attended two other colleges before enrolling at my current school. On the first day at each, my backpack is filled to the max with random supplies and books that I think will be necessary for class.

This year, I decided to follow my little girl’s method and on the first day of class, the only thing I brought with me was my class schedule. I waited for the professors to pass out their syllabus and the next day I only brought what was listed.

I guess you never are too old to learn something new.