As you surely remember, schools – especially high schools – are known for their cliques. During their pre-teen and teen years, kids are constantly exploring different facets of themselves trying on different personas to see what feels right (Am I a jock? An artist? A member of band? Some unique combination of all of those?). This back-to-school season, help your child find their niche without throwing your budget out the window by shopping at Goodwill® where you can find necessities for every interest.
Image via Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana
Artsy kids should just go ahead and make themselves comfortable in Goodwill retail stores right away. With numerous departments brimming with possibility, a creative student can find everything (from paints to fiber arts) that they need to get their juices flowing for school projects and hobbies alike. This neat melted crayon art was brought to life by Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana (Indianapolis) with supplies from one of their stores. The adorable heart made from masking tape peels off after the crayon has melted and dried to highlight the shape in negative space. I can definitely envision this DIY art in a 12-year-old girl’s room and with a different color choice and maybe a word or two instead of the heart, a crafty 16-year-old would feel accomplished, too! By encouraging your little artist’s creativity, you’ll help them bloom into a productive, confident individual and they’ll feel comfortable exploring similar expressions in school projects, too.
Image via Goodwill Industries International
Students who will be taking up sports in the fall can also find what they need in Goodwill stores. Goodwill Industries of Southern Nevada (North Las Vegas) shared this baseball star costume idea last Halloween, but why should a quality pair of second-hand cleats be used just for one night? No matter what team your student will be joining this school year, athletic attire and equipment are always available at great prices through thrift stores. Another wonderful part about buying these items used is that you won’t care how badly they’re banged up at practice and in game play. Chances are that if your athlete is still growing you’ll need to buy new ones next year anyway so you might as well save money doing so.
Image via Remodelaholic
For kids to really absorb the most from their school classes and activities, what they learn on campus should also be developed at home. Children are told during lessons that what they are learning is important. At home, it’s the parent’s task to help them realize WHY it’s important. Inspire students to find a love of learning by creating an exciting, educational home. This doesn’t mean that you have to quiz kids on their times tables or have an ever-present blackboard with rotating vocabulary words, it just means that you bring home common school themes in an inspiring way, as Cass of Remodelaholic did with this gorgeous globe she found at Goodwill! She updated the learning tool with gold leaf to make it relevant home décor while still giving off an academic air. Click through to her post to find out how she completed this stunning DIY project in just a couple of hours!
If there’s any one aspect of personality that both teachers and parents can agree to encourage, no matter their student’s extracurricular interests, it’s a consideration of others. The best way to teach this is through leading by example. While shopping at Goodwill this back-to-school season, take a moment to mention to your impressionable young sponge that supporting this cause is a wonderful way to do give back because Goodwill helps people who are facing challenges to finding employment overcome their hardships to gain dignity and independence. If you make donating to and shopping at Goodwill a habit, your student – no matter what clique they fall into – will see your generosity as something to live up to and learn from.
