A study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Slickdeals gathered 2000 Americans who were the parents of school-going children to ask how they felt about their children going back to in-person learning.
The study showed that about two-thirds of the parents worried that back to school season would take them more than it did the previous year. Another 51% added that their children’s supply list made them nervous.
Most parents thought they would spend more money on school supplies than clothes, with others planning to use $217 on clothes and $225 on supplies. Another 51% worried they would spend more on technology than they did the previous year. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 47% of parents added face masks to the list for the first time. A similar number also added hand sanitizers.
Parents name challenges they are likely to face with in-person learning
Some of the respondents felt their children weren’t ready for in-person learning (47%). The reason for this could be that the parents are unprepared for the challenges that come with it. About 36% felt unprepared for drop-off, 40% thought their children would deal with separation anxiety, and 43% could not deal with the cost of supplies.
The respondents believed their children would use approximately nine notebooks and 25 pencils in one year. About 54% of them have started doing back-to-school shopping. However, another 28% have decided to wait since they cannot afford to buy school supplies. Parents reported that they spend more money than intended when they go shopping for school supplies.
Parents have difficulty shopping despite saving up
About 47% of the participants tried to save up for school, and 42% saved up during the summer. Despite their efforts, most of them struggled to buy everything their children needed for school.
Some parents (57%) had not set up a college fund for their children, while the rest had. Of those who had a college fund, 42% admitted taking money from the fund to buy school supplies.
About 45% of the parents complained of a picky child when shopping. Some parents said their children would unintentionally pick an expensive item from a particular brand they liked (44%). However, 57% of respondents would select a cheaper product despite the child’s wishes.
