Back To School Shopping

My kids go back to school in 3 weeks. What the hell? They just got out of school. It's that time again....to go back-to-school shopping. We started this week. It's still as horrible as I remember. The kids want to go with me to pick out their stuff. I'm not even talking about clothes, I'm talking about school supplies. I went with my 12 year old this week while my youngest was at gymnastics. It was the worst. I now understand why some animals eat their young.

She had guidelines in place. "First of all, we are not going to the dollar store. AT ALL."
"But the dollar store always has cute mechanical pencils."
"No, mom. I have standards."
It's really easy to have standards when you don't have a job or have to pay bills.

We went to Target first. They had some good sales and we crossed a lot of the stuff off of our list. I did let her splurge on some patterned binders but I put my foot down on the "whimsical" $7 composition books. Seriously, $7 composition books. Even if I had a million dollars, I would not buy $7 composition books. That's just crazy.

She kept asking for crap that wasn't on the list. I was like:
                               
I know there is going to be a second wave of stuff that they need. I'm sticking to the damn list.

Then there are the clothes. She wears band tee-shirts and black clothes. That's it. Black tee-shirts, black jeans, black tights, black converse sneakers. Basically the opposite of how I would dress her if I dressed her myself. I know she is being an "individual"  but it's super annoying. "Can't you wear something with color? Maybe a skirt? Like, once in a while?"
She rolls her eyes, "Mom, black goes with everything and black sneakers don't get dingy like my white Converse."
I just don't want her to be one of those mopey kids that wears all black.

My kid is basically turning into Jane from Daria.
                       
At least shes not trying to dress like this:
                  
            (I'm not slut shaming, I'm just saying 12 year olds shouldn't dress like skanks)

The icing on the cake is when she told me she was going to use her old book bag. "I'm going to go back to using my old polka-dot book bag."
"Why? I just got you a Vera Bradley book bag in April. Plus, the polka dot book bag is ripped."
"I mended it. I just want to use that one, ok?"

Seriously, I just got her a nice, quilted (BLACK and WHITE - so it goes with her theme) Vera Bradley book bag and she wants to use a half ripped, piece of shit book bag? Keep in mind, this is the girl who told me earlier in the day that she had standards. Why do my kids always want to be hobos?

              
I mean, if she wants to be a hobo - I will let her be one. I'm just not taking responsibility for it.

                     
             Here's my hobo kid, on the first day of school with her old-ass book bag.

Yeah, seventh grade is going to be FUN. I can just tell already.

 I haven't even attempted to go back to school shopping with my 10 year old yet. That shit is definitely going to end in fisticuffs.

                  
I've been through 5th grade once and I am know the hell that I'm in for. I am actually still recovering. I have battle scars and ish.

Don't feel bad for me -just pray. Also, I am accepting donations of chocolate and wine. That should help too.