Tips For Parents To Get Ready For Back To School

Every single year we inevitably hit that point where the summer fun comes to an end and it is time to get the kids ready to go back to school. Though it can be nice to get the kids out of the house and back on schedule, the school year comes with many unique challenges and some of them require some pretty serious prep work. Sure, the kids have to transition from a place of complete freedom to embracing structure and getting back to work, but parents have a lot of heavy lifting to do when it comes to getting the kids ready to go back. I’m not saying that we don’t get enough credit for this, but I’m also absolutely saying that. Since I am of the opinion that we moms need all the help that we can get, I’ve taken the time to throw together some tips for when it comes to getting ready for the upcoming school year.

Make A Plan

I know that this might sound trivial, but I really do mean it. I don’t mean make a mental note or trust yourself to just know what needs to be handled. I mean take the time to make a genuine plan that you can keep track of and use to make sure that you don’t end up having to handle anything last minute. Take some time to write down all of the things that you need to do. It’s going to be a long list, and writing it down will help. Making a full note of it will save you from frantically running through a store, at ten o’clock at night, looking for a specific kind of folder. Common things to consider for your plan include clothes shopping, school supply lists, extra-curricular accessory shopping, and following up with the kids about their summer work requirements.

Look Online for The Sales

School supply shopping can be a pretty expensive endeavor, especially if you are shopping for more than one kiddo. Considering the fact that you know that those pencils will be lost and the folders will be unceremoniously crammed into a backpack, which will likely be trampled, it’s always nice to know that you saved money when shopping to give yourself a little peace of mind. Going around to every store to check out the deals takes way more time than you will have, so instead start checking the websites of the stores around you once you start getting to the end of summer. This will ensure that you have a good pulse on those back to school deals, so you can get ahead of the shopping rush.

Don’t Put Shopping Off Until the Last Minute

One surefire way to bring complete chaos upon your process is to hold off on shopping until the last minute. This is true whether you’re getting back to school clothes or school supplies. A guaranteed way to break your stride, and take way too much time handling it, is to be running around with kids who can’t find the stuff that they like or want because the available products have already been picked over. They will get frustrated. You will get frustrated. Just take my advice and save yourself the headache with this one. It really does pay to handle it early.

Prepare for The Schedule Change

One thing that we often forget to account for when it comes to preparing for the school year is to take the time to think about the sudden change in schedule. While it can be easy to just let the kids start the school year and adjust to the new schedule then, you can save yourself a lot of time, and help them prepare for school more effectively, by getting them on schedule before school starts. For the last couple of weeks of summer, get the kids used to waking up at an earlier time so that you aren’t dragging them out of bed once the school year begins.

Get Them Using Their Minds

After a summer filled with fun and freedom, your kids are going to have to adapt to get back into the swing of school. There is a very big difference between the mind that someone uses to spend time at the pool and the mind that they will need to use to think critically and pull off those good grades. One great way to get your kids prepared to go back to school is to help them start thinking more critically in less direct ways. This can be accomplished by working with them to embrace more educational media or even tricking them into using their minds with certain games like trivia or puzzles. This will help their brains get ready to start learning.

 Give Them One Last Hurrah

One thing that I love to do before sending the kids back to school is to make sure that they have a sort of sendoff. This can look like anything depending on your time, budget, and the interests of your child. The important part is that your kids get a big end of summer event to say goodbye to their vacation. You can try taking your kids somewhere fun or even do a summer-themed family night to send it off with s’mores and time outside. Just make sure that you schedule time for you to have fun together. 

Conclusion

Every year, back to school time can feel like a bit of a mad rush. Somehow the summer always ends too soon and there is always way too much to do. Fortunately, you can take control of this awkward seasonal transition by taking a few proactive steps to make sure that you and the kids are ready for school to begin. It is always a little sad to say goodbye to summer, but with the right plan and the right tools, you can send your child to school ready to work hard and chase their passions. 

Until next time Kuties! 

-Keon