'Moms Talk' Q & A: What Do You Buy for Back to School?

Each week the council will answer a question on parenthood posed to them by readers or another member of council.

This week, the Moms Council addresses shopping for back to school.

It's mid-July and the subject of shopping for back to school hit me as I saw stores with back-to-school sections in full swing. Most of these have the basics – notebooks, pens, binders, etc.

But all kinds of furniture also are suggested as back-to-school purchases. And TV ads in particular widen the necessities to include all sorts of electronics. Even Marc's, which doesn't carry iPads, is giving away weekly 64-gigabyte models for "back to school."

This all had me wondering, what do parents actually buy for back to school?

Kim Zannetti: For us, it has usually been the basics.  "School supplies" including the lists that the school sends home, and clothes, including the new shoes.

Other than that, the kids have to pitch in ... it is a great way to teach what we "need" vs. what we "want."