Tips and tricks for back-to-school success

For some it may seem like summer vacation just started but back to school is right around the corner. Back to school brings a much busier time, but it can also bring with it, a fresh start. Here are some ways to ensure this back to school season starts off on the right foot!

 Reset sleep schedules

A couple weeks or a few days before the first day of school start having your kids go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. My kids love staying up late and sleeping late during summer so some reset is usually needed.

We recently bought a calendar and have it marked with "first day of school." We are counting down the days and building excitement so they know it is coming. Each day that it gets closer, we move back bedtime 15 minutes. It seems toward for our kids. 

Don't forget to set-up before and after care

As a working parent, you know that having the right care for your kids can make for a stress-free school year.  So don't forget to set-up before school and after school care before it's too late.  In our hometown, they often run out of space which can complicate things. You may have to hire a private sitter or bus your child to another school. 

Our kids have different schedules, so we have a sitter come just for a few hours in the morning to watch the baby and put our 2nd grader on the bus, while I take the order kids to school. It's a puzzle, but will appropriate support, we were able to figure it out. 

Organization

We created a staging area: a place for important papers, backpacks, laptops and shoes. This eliminates the time spent searching for these much needed items in the morning.  Another tip:  as the kids get older, work with them to prepare their backpacks the night before to lessen the morning stress.

I keep a drawer for outfits. I roll together underwear, a shirt and pants/skirt into one bundle. The kids just have to pick out an outfit versus looking through several drawers. 

Shoppping

School supplies can get expensive. Many schools will run a fundraiser offering school supply kits. Often you pay a little bit more but the supplies are then shipped directly to the school or even to your home. For that convenience as well as supporting our school, it is well worth the price. School supply lists are often available at the end of the school year so you can do one big shopping spree filling your cart with all the items or you can take your time picking up things as they are on sale. I have many friends that swear by the latter and claim they save money, so if you have the time and the patience I urge you to give it a shot. 

Don't Forget The Shoes!  One of my favorite parts of back to school shopping are the new sneakers. I usually splurge on good sneakers for school and activities and then keep a pair of cheaper store brand sneakers for outdoor play. 

Watching the relaxing summer days come to an end and seeing the calendar fill up as we get ready to go back to school can be stressful. Getting yourself, as well as the kiddos, prepared and organized can help eliminate the stress!