Moms Talk Q&A: Jump Right In With Your Thoughts

Moms Talk is a new weekly feature on Sherman Oaks Patch, in which local parents are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting issues.

Each week our Moms Council members will discuss a different issue. Join the conversation by weighing in on a topic or asking questions.  

 This week's Mom Council members include:

Linda Arbiter:  A licensed family therapist in Sherman Oaks, Linda is also the mother of three children. Linda's specialities include parenting issues, adolescent development, and anxiety issues involving children.

Michele Dahl: Michele is a freelance writer and mom to 3-year-old firecracker, Shelby, and 1-year-old sweetheart, Cash.  In between working  three jobs—not including her unpaid gig as mommy—she is a contributing writer and product reviewer for www.hollywoodmomblog.com.  

Randi Green: Randi is raising three children, ages 18, 15 and 10. She is a personal trainer, working with children as well as adults. Randi says: "I’ve dealt with the terrible 2’s, the trying tweens and the terrific/horrific teen years, and have firm opinions on it all!"

This week the conversation focuses on children's clothing. Michele Dahl says you can spend $80 on a pair of jeans for a toddler. Would you have qualms about buying used clothing for your child at a consignment sale? Michele raises the issue. Feel free to give us your opinion in the comments section of this site.

 My 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son grow out of clothes so quickly that I simply cannot justify spending the ridiculous amounts of money that many popular clothing stores charge for kids’ clothes. I mean, I love a name brand as much as the next LA girl, but $80 for a pair of Joe’s Jeans for a toddler? Absolutely not. I am all for quality, but I guarantee you that I can get a very high quality pair of jeans for my little diva at a fraction of that cost. Enter LA Kids Consignment Sale. The last time I shopped, I went prepared to spend about $60 (I had no idea what I was getting myself into) and I still managed to pick up about 12 pieces of clothes for the kids for the fall. Do the math – that’s an average of $5/item! I got enough functional pieces to satisfy my logical side and the fact that many of them were Baby Gap and Janie and Jack stroked my label-loving ego. This time around, I’m planning on spending about twice that amount on clothes.

Would you buy used clothing for your kids? Answer in the comments section.