Ten Back 2 School Steps

Summer vacation is a time that most people dismiss their regular schedules and throw caution to the wind and make time for things that they ordinarily may not have gotten around to. You may have spent part of your vacation walking on white sand and swimming in the waves, or were tucked away in a cozy cabin in the mountains, or instead decided to stay home and enjoy relaxing and spending some time together as a family. Unfortunately now that has all come to an end and it is time to settle in and get your children focused on the year ahead.

1. Register your child for the upcoming school year:

   Complete the necessary documentation required at the beginning of each school year and ensure that all your vital information is up to date. Consider things such as Medical Insurance updates or even a change in a telephone number. So that all information on file is current.

2. Get a head start on school supplies:

   Some stores have great deals and large areas of the stores are usually dedicated for school supplies. A lot of people leave this till the last day of vacation and end up dealing with large crowds and some empty bins with sold out stationery. Beating the crowd gives you more options to browse without dealing with the congestion.

3. Notify the nurse of any Medications

   Whether your child takes medication at home or at school, it is always a good thing to give the nurse this information. If your child needs to take a dosage at school, the nurse is able to provide you with a document for you to sign giving her permission to administer this medication.

4. Confirm your child’s Bus Route:

   Whether your child has been taking the bus for many years or this is his/her first time, it is always a good idea to go online and confirm the bus number and the pick up time and location of the bus. The same information should be confirmed for the child’s departure from the school coming home.

5. Discuss your child’s schedule:

   Even if your child appears very excited for the new school year, the schedule will pose some minor stress. Such as where is the class, who is the teacher, and are there any friends that will be on the same schedule. Sit down and discuss these stress factors with your child and reassure them that they will adjust and settle in to their new schedule within a few days.

6. Set Goals and expectations with your child:

   Help your child to set goals for the upcoming year and then help them with a short-term plan giving them the steps and tools to attain their goals. The short-term goals could be making a list of weekly requirements that will eventually come together and help them reach their end of the quarter or end of the year desired result.

7. Get your child’s study area set up:

   A study area should consist of minimal distractions and a focal area for them to work daily. Have all their stationery compartmentalized and make it very clear that the stationery in this zone is for homework only. Also keep a Calendar and bulletin board in this area, so as to track necessary school functions and sport events.

8. Check your child’s Back 2 School clothing requirements:

   Help your child go through their summer clothing and separate what is appropriate for school and what is for lounging around the home. If you see that your child requires a few more outfits, then try to take them shopping ahead of the back to school shoppers.

9. Adjust your child’s sleeping schedule:

   Most children enjoy the late sleeping schedule during the summer. They get to go to bed later and sleep in, in the morning. Start getting your child back into a reasonable sleeping pattern at least a week before school starts.

10. Make that first day special:

    They are nervous and excited on their first day. Try make the day as special as possible for them. Maybe pack an extra something nice in their lunch bag or give them a card telling them how proud you are of them and love them. Even a love note on a napkin or a frozen yogurt after school will help alleviate the somewhat stressful first day.

Finally, if you are no longer dealing with a younger child and now have a difficult teen in your home. Please be reassured that these Ten Back 2 School Steps are vitally important for them also, even though they make out that it is silly. The only difference is that all discussions taking place would have to be a lot less formal and more of a casual conversation while eating dinner. Anything more in-depth may come across as preachy to them.

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• Posted in: Children ♦ General Organizational Tips ♦ School
• Tagged: Back to school, chaos 2 organized, Children's Schedule, Organizing Children, planning