I wanted to write a post today about my vacation and share with you the fun I had, the family memories we created, and the interesting perspective that living in close quarters with four family members and two dogs gives a person after two weeks—but no. Today I felt I needed to share with you some of my ways to get ready for the school year. It is approaching fast and for some of you the bell has already rung.
As I share with you some tips that have helped me through the years, I would love to have you all leave comments about what you have done in your house to make the transition smoother too. That way we can all help each other.
I know the time before school starts is a time of anticipation, excitement, and even dread for some. I like the feeling of getting back to a strong routine. After a few months of more random days, it fits my personality to get back to a flow that I can anticipate a little more. Here are some tips for you to hopefully make your transition a little smoother!
Complete the list
Make sure you have gathered all the school supplies that your child will need. This is critical. I love to shop for the pencils, crayons, notebooks—all that stuff, especially with all the great deals you can find. I enjoy seeing how “little” I can spend to get my kids set up. I even purchase items that may not be on their lists, as I know we will always need pocket folders, index cards, and more pens throughout the year. I have a bin in our upstairs playroom where the kids know they can find extra supplies most anytime. This saves running out late at night to gather a forgotten item—plus usually saves me money too.
Control center
Set up a place where you can “know” that you can find all the school papers, notes, permissions slips, homework sheets, and schedules. Find a spot in your home that works for you, either the kitchen or an entryway table—but set it up so that it can stay organized. Have a shelf or folder for each child and help them become accustomed to placing all their items in one central location so that you can then look through them. This will certainly alleviate those early morning frantic frenzies where you are looking for misplaced papers. Pick a spot and use it!
Rise and shine
I have younger kids start getting up a little earlier in the morning about a week before school actually starts. If they have been sleeping in until about 8:30 a.m. and their normal time to get up during the school year is 7 a.m., we set the alarm for 8 a.m. and then each day progress 15 minutes backwards to help them adjust. With my older kids, well, I give them this idea, but it is up to them whether they want to use the idea or not. They can feel better the first day of school with this idea or suffer with their own way of adjusting to the early mornings!
Morning routine
If you have been in a habit of being a drill sergeant in your home during the mornings, see what you can do to allow your child to take more control of their morning. Even younger kids can start doing personal hygiene duties on their own with only a little help or point of reference, and you won’t be left following them around on their heels reminding, nagging, and basically being their puppeteer. You can get creative about a system that works for your child, either a list they can check off, a board they can move tags, or even a little voice recorder with directions that they can use each morning. You may be amazed at what they can accomplish on their own without your constant direction. It gives them a sense of pride, accomplishment, and gets your day started in a less stressful way too!
What have you done at your house to get prepared for school to start? Please share your ideas so that other moms can lower their stress levels too!
