It’s that time of year again – when the days get a bit shorter and the school supplies list gets a bit longer. Nevertheless, it’s always good to take a moment to get prepared for the craziness a new school year can bring.
If you are a new resident to your community this year, or it is the first time you will be sending your little one off to school, now is the perfect time to contact the school your child will be going to and get information about pick-ups and drop offs, start and end times, bus stop locations, who your child’s teacher will be and what supplies they will need. Most schools will send out emails for any school updates, so make sure the school has a valid email address for you.
You may also want to get to know your neighbors that may be sending their children to the same school as yours this year. This could be the perfect way to set up a carpooling schedule, play dates and have a support system throughout the year.
Another easy way to get prepared for the school year is to plan your lunches and dinners ahead of time. Prepping freezer meals or even just writing your daily meals on a calendar will help keep you on track and less frazzled come dinner time. Check online for easy crockpot recipes to make dinner time one of the easiest meals you’ll have all day.
For your little ones who are bringing a lunch to school – have them help come up with ideas for lunches that way they are more likely to eat it. For a fun idea to get your younger kids involved, have them create their own Lunchables!
Lastly, it’s always a good idea to get organized before the school year starts. Much like adults, kids also tend to get anxious or stressed out with new changes. Organization and structure can be a huge tool to keep some of that anxiety at bay.
Whether it is creating a separate space away from other distractions for homework or even making a little check list of responsibilities for your kids to complete before they get screen time – keep it simple and your student will surely get into their groove in no time. Anticipating the changes that the new school year will bring, with all of the craziness going on in the world makes actually handling them a whole lot easier. Allow for some hiccups, for your student and for yourself and you’ll fall into your routine with ease.