For kids, the end of August can be worst time of year and for parents (secretly) the best: back to school. But whether you love it or hate it, it can’t be avoided so why not make the most of it.
Our Shop Talk team looked far and wide to come up with some things to do to prepare and keep stress to a minimum:
1. If it’s the first year at their school, drive on over to familiarize them and you with the school and the surrounding area, including safe, kid-friendly places they can hang out after school, when necessary.
2. Create a backup plan for what your kids should do if they miss the school bus home.
3. Call or email the school to ask for a list of school supplies and books they’ll need – so they’re prepared to hit the ground running on day one.
4. Before you head out to the supplies store and to avoid buying more than you need, check to see if you have leftover pens, paper, folders and other items.
5. You may have a home office but do you have a homework office? Set up a low-distraction area in your home, free of TV, phones and internet (unless it’s necessary for assignments), where your kids can do their homework when classes start.
6. Start a regular sleep schedule for your children a week or two before school begins to ween them off summer hours.
7. Create a kitchen calendar or share a calendar on their smartphones (if they have ones) to manage your schedule and their after-school activities so everyone knows when everyone will be home throughout the week.
8. Sit down together and research a list of six to 12 books they ought to read throughout the year.
9. Schedule a weekly (or more) fun family block of time when everyone can be together.
10. Have your kids get in the habit of packing their lunch (with your help) before they go to bed so they don’t have to rush in the morning.
11. Go shopping a week before classes start and buy them one or two fresh outfits they’ll enjoy wearing.
What are your most effective back to school tips and strategies? Please share them in the Shop Talk Blog community forum!
Did you know? It isn’t back to school for everyone
It may be fall in the Northern hemisphere, but in places like South America and Australia fall begins in March and that’s when kids usually go back to school. (Source)
As a teacher this was my 44th BACK TO SCHOOL!
Sounds good to practice before School starts back again but my Son is a Junior this year so 2 weeks before School starts we have him go to bed earlier and set his phone to wake him up in the mornings but don’t worry mom has her phone back up alarms as well
Make it “fun” plan a date where you go to lunch, do a little shopping then go to a movie, or golf n stuff. Getting back into the role of going back to school is already hectic enough. Don’t make it any more stressful. ?