Five Back To School Tips

Are your kids heading back to school this week? We thought you’d enjoy these five back to school tips about how to start your year off on the right foot!

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Five Back To School Tips For A Good School Year

Routine

Kids thrive on routine even more than adults do. Giving your child a predictable morning schedule is one of the most important things you can do for your family during the school year. Your children know what to expect every day, and even more important, they are able to get ready for school without you standing over their shoulder – you’ll appreciate that on days when you aren’t feeling well or when you’re running late because everyone can help out!

Take A Breath

Is your son distracted by last night’s Lego creation? Teenage daughter can’t put the cell phone down? It’s ok. Take a deep breath. We all get distracted every once in a while. Maybe taking a few minutes out to explain why the Legos have to wait (or how the cell phone is for after school!) is all your child needs. Every time you want to raise your voice, count to 5 and take a deep breath.

Slow Down

Feeling rushed? Running late? Kids being pokey? It happens to the best of us. Continuing to rush around the house is only going to lead to forgotten water bottles and backwards shirts. Take another deep breath and know that needing to sign your daughter in late or have your son buy lunch instead of packing one is ok. It’s ok! And don’t even think about the office secretary who always seems to be glaring when your kids are late – I bet her kids are late every once in a while, too.

Relax

After school is over, make sure to take a few minutes and just enjoy the kids. Listen to their stories about the day and make sure to share one of your own. Make a snack and ask about their homework. These are the times you’ll miss when they’re in college.

Prepare

Already time for bed? Prepare as much as you can for tomorrow morning:

have the kids choose clothes (including socks and untied shoes) and lay them out.
fill water bottles halfway and stick them in the freezer. They’ll be ready to top off tomorrow and they’ll stay cold longer, too.
make as much of the kids’ lunches as you can after they go to bed.
sign and return forms that need to be handed in, and stick them in backpacks.

The changes in routine from summer laziness to back to school can be difficult for everyone in the house. Let us know if any of these tips were helpful in starting your school year on the right foot!