Tips for Back to School Success: Shifting from Fun to Back to Business
By Deborah Tensely-Jones
August 9, 2017
Wow, summer is just about over and now it is time to make the shift from fun and relaxation to getting focused and down to business. It’s time to get the brain shifted and the kids ready to go back to school.
The biggest challenge families face each school year is becoming organized. Alarm clocks, school bells and the coming of fall brings shorter autumn days that bring hectic schedules fill with sports and extracurricular activities and calendars filled with cryptic notes and piles of paper as hand-outs and homework stream into the house.
It is a great idea to get organized now. Here are some ideas to prepare your home and family for the busy days ahead. Ease the family into the upcoming schedule change, don’t wait for the first day of school.
• Re-introduce a school year bed time and begin waking late sleepers earlier and earlier until you reach the mark time they will need to rise when school begins.
• Adapt and plan meal routines meals and snacks to accustom them to rituals of the school day
- Create a Self-Serve Station – clear a pantry shelf that is low enough for all to reach and stock it with granola bars, dried fruit, nuts and other healthy treats.
- Create a calendar and post it publicly – nothing calms chaos like a centralized calendar where all family activities, school events and programs are tracked and everyone can see them.
- File everything – create a home file or a file box for all the hand-outs. This gives the kids a place to unload past assignments and helps them organize reference materials.
- Plan before you shop – August is the second-biggest sales month for clothing retailers.
- Assess your child’s clothing needs
o Empty drawers and closets of outgrown or worn-out clothing
o Develop wardrobe needs for each child and make a list
o Get a school supply list
o Shop Early!
o Create a supply stash – this will prevent late-night freak-outs when there are projects due. - Equip the car – Breezing through the drop-off line is easy when kids can grab tissues or on-the-go breakfast from a backseat stash!
- Dedicate a homework area
- Plan Ahead – plan your meals ahead of time. Pick out clothes the night before (and if you are really good – a week in advance)
Parent involvement in school matters so think about the level of involvement you can commit to and stick to it.
Going back to school is a big deal and because children don’t always adapt to change even when they know they must, it is important to involve them in the planning process. Get their input on how to set up the family calendar, picking out their clothes. Involvement will make the process easier for both them and you.
These tips should help make the transition from summer fun to back to business easier for everyone!
Do you have suggestions on ways to ease the transition to back to school? Tell us!