Because August and September are school-starting months, in these months our posts will focus on things you can do to help your child get a good start at school this year.

These questions can help you determine if your approach to school supplies and clothes is “over the top.”

• Are your child’s school supplies and clothes right for his age and ability? Too old or too young? Does he take care of his supplies and clothes? Are they the supplies the school said were needed or more than that?

• Do your child’s supplies require so much of your money that other needs or other people in the family are losing out?  Could you get what is needed for less money?

• Are your child’s supplies what your child really needs or what you want him to have? (Maybe you wanted them when you were a child; maybe you feel guilty that you work a lot; maybe you want your child to be popular.)

• Are your child’s supplies or clothes harmful? (Could they hurt another child or are they harmful to the environment?)

(Thanks to Jean Illsley Clarke for introducing me to these types of questions to help us not overindulge our kids.)