As students prepare to return to the classroom, many Central Florida families are feeling the financial strain of rising back-to-school costs. Parents say everything from clothes and shoes to school supplies is more expensive, forcing them to make difficult spending decisions.
The National Retail Federation estimates families with children in elementary through high school will spend an average of about $864 on back-to-school shopping this year, up slightly from last year. Engage visits Christ Church Orlando and the Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center, where free school supply giveaways are helping ease the burden for local families.
Engage also speaks with Cherlette McCullough, a licensed marriage and family therapist at Centerpiece Couples and Family Therapy, about what children may really be asking for when they want the latest trendy items or say, “Everyone else has it.”
