How Parents Can Help their Kids Prepare for Back to School Time and make the transition from Summer to School an easy one. Help Kids Head Back to School.
Prepare for Back to School & Transition from Summer
Growing up in California, school went back after Labor Day, but in Colorado, my kids are set to head back in two weeks.
Two weeks!?!?! That’s it and Summer will come to a close.
It seems a little early to me since it’s still going to be scorching hot outside, but since I don’t have any say about the district’s school calendar, the only thing I can do is tick off a few more bucket list items with my kids and get prepared for the back to school chaos.
Sigh…. The days of early mornings, packing school lunches and juggling schedules and activities are once again here.
Here are Six Key Tips to Preparing for Back to School:
- Gradually set earlier bedtimes and wake the kids up early as well. Bump bedtimes times up 10 or 15 minutes every few days until you’re at an appropriate bedtime for a school night and wake up time in the mornings. Otherwise, you might have a rough first few weeks of school if your kids adjust along with the start of the school year.
- Get organized! My husband and I use the Cozi Family App on our phones to synch our calendars and the kid’s activities so we’re always on the same page. I should mention it’s totally free, which of course, my deal-lovin’ self approves.
- Be (more) consistent with a routine. I know Summer is the time to get lax with your routine and bedtimes because it doesn’t get dark until later, but school operates on a schedule and it makes the transition easier (at school and at home) when you already follow one.
- Create a plan for school lunches. I need a plan for school lunches or I’ll run out of ideas and never have the groceries I need. I also know if I’m unprepared, I’m likely to hand the kids lunch money and roll the dice if they’ll get a bag of chips and ice cream for lunch, or something remotely healthy.
- Check out the School Lunch Planner for a month’s worth of school lunch ideas to make sending lunch with your kids easy & hassle-free.
- I partnered with my friend Audra, at Tox Free Me to create a monthly school lunch plan. The printable download includes monthly lunch menu, weekly shopping lists, lunch box planner sheets to help you build lunches, $20 worth of discounts from parters (need a lunchbox or water bottle?), love notes for your kids, healthy make-ahead recipes and a 2018 – 2019 School Year Organizer.
- There will also be weekly giveaways in August and your name will be entered into drawings when you grab your copy of the School Lunch Planner.
- Start Easing School Worries before the first day of school. Tour the school ahead of time, especially if you have a Kindergartener who is starting or are entered a new school. Meet with teachers, talk about worries and ease school anxiety with these tips.
- Create a Dedicated Area for School Gear – backpacks, homework folders, shoes, etc.
- Here are ideas for backpack organization
- We use a wall in the garage to hang jackets, backpacks and keep shoes. I turned a bookcase on it’s side, secured it to the wall, added hooks inside the cubbies and baskets underneath for shoe storage. My kids always know where their gear is and we never have to look for homework or missing pairs of shoes in the morning!
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