5 Great Ways to Get Ready for Back to School
It’s time for the kids to head back to class for another great school year. After a long summer full of relaxation and fun, it can be difficult to transition back to the routine of busy school days.
Here are some great ways to get your family back in the swing of things.
5 Great Ways to Get Ready for Back to School
1. Be prepared
Mornings can be hectic at the beginning of the school year. Have outfits picked out the night before, school paperwork signed, and any breakfast or lunchbox items that can be prepared ahead of time already ready to go. Make sure that you’re stocked up before the first day back with lots of easy breakfast, lunch, and snack foods to get everyone through the first few hectic weeks of the school year. The fewer tasks you have in the morning, the better, so have the backpacks completely packed and sitting by the front door, ready to go.
2. Label everything
Whether it’s a notebook, a backpack or even cardigan sweaters, make sure everything is easily identifiable with your family name. As I learned, permanent marker fades and smears so be sure to label your kids’ belongings with proper labels.
3. Give it time
It’s no fun starting a day off rushed and stressed. Get the kids up and moving a little earlier than normal to make sure there’s enough time to get everything and everyone completely ready the first few days of school. Once everyone settles back into the routine, you can adjust wake-up times to allow a little more sleep.
4. Schedule tasks
We keep a schedule on the fridge that the kids can see every morning before school. They have 20 minutes to eat breakfast, 10 minutes to get dressed and brush their teeth and hair, and a few extra minutes to get anything they forgot. We’ve set times for each task so they’ll all be completely ready when it’s time to leave for school.
5. Get to Sleep
Many kids stay up later at night and sleep later in the morning during summer break. To prepare for the school year, start getting your kids on the school schedule a week earlier. As everyone gets into the routine of starting an early day, the transition to school mornings will become much easier. And as the school year progresses, continue to make sure that your kids are getting enough sleep. It’s important that kids are prepared for each day and at their very best – which can only come from having a great, full night’s sleep.
Great Ways to Get Ready for Back to School
Since my kids are in year-round school, they’ll be heading back to class earlier than most kids. We’ve already started taking advantage of back-to-school promotions and sales to stock up on supplies and groceries.
The first few weeks of school are hectic in our house, so I always make sure I have easy meals and snacks on hand. I stick to easy breakfasts that I know all three kids will love and can prepare themselves – like cereal.
With the majority of school tasks completed the evening before, our mornings are a lot less stressful and rushed. Once my husband and I are ready as well, we love to sit for a little while and enjoy a bowl of cereal with the kids. We get to talk to each other before the busy day ahead and relax for a few moments before we head out to start our busy days. And a huge bonus – everyone leaves the house in a better mood when we’re not rushing around in the morning!
These are great ideas for back to school. School starts in my state today! It is a lot of organizing to get ready and I do it weeks in advance.
Gradually establishing the normal routine is important. Also prepare beforehand, prevention is great. Pack the bags the night before.
These are all great tips! We would always pick our outfits the night before