Grocery Store Math for Your Teen
You may not think much about math, let alone talk numbers with your teen. Unfortunately, reports show that kids are not developing their math skills fast enough to succeed in high school, college and careers. So what can we do? Bring math down to earth. The more your child relates to this seemingly scary subject, the easier it becomes. So get started – at the grocery store!
Grocery Store Math for Your Teen
Budgeting. Does your teen always want to buy random snacks when you go grocery shopping? Before you leave the house, create a grocery list together and estimate a budget. Be clear that you will not go over that budget. If your teen chooses to pick up some other snack as your walking the aisles, something gets cut.
Price comparisons. My mom tortured me with this as a kid, but I’m grateful to have learned it then. Encourage your son or daughter to look at unit prices. What’s the cost of a product compared to the ounces in that product? For instance, compare an 18-ounce jar of peanut butter for $3.45 with a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter for $2.85. Which is the better deal? Ask your child to do the math.
Sales. Are sale items really a better deal? Are you sacrificing value? Do you even need the product? Have your teen consider the price of the sale item against a) whether or not you need it, b) its price compared to a similar item you’d normally buy and c) its nutrition facts.
Nutrition facts. Which products are healthiest? Ask your teen to compare fat, calories, sodium, sugar, carbs or anything that’s important to you. Give him or her the responsibility of making sure you get healthy products.
Coupons. Have your teen clip coupons before you go. As you pick up the products, ask him or her to calculate the savings to the cent. It doesn’t go in the basket until your teen does the math.
How do you teach your teen about math? Share with other parents here.
Posted In: Everyday Math, Math Skills, Parents, Shopping, Teens
