1. Look in their drawers, get anything that doesn’t fit, is stained, has holes or is no longer being worn. Take stock; do they need anything prior to the start of school?
2. Get a family calendar organized. If there are activities already on the schedule, get them in. Put this in a prominent place where everyone in the family can see it. Try using different colours for different family members or type of activity so you can see in a glance what is upcoming.
3. Set up a snack/lunch station. Create a place in the kitchen that will house school and after school snacks. This creates an easy lunch packing station as well, include reusable baggies, containers and bowls here for easy serving. Our lunch hack is simple, but often overlooked — leftovers. Make a little extra rice and chicken to heat up in the thermos tomorrow. Don’t forget to toss a few ice packs in the freezer to keep on hand.
4. Start thinking about homework now. Decide where the homework station will be and ensure it’s stocked with the necessary tools. Discuss a routine with your schedule that you can start to implement immediately. This might take a little trial and error to determine the best flow after school, but keep at it, the routine will happen.
5. Create a place in your home for incoming paperwork and schoolwork. Designate a time to deal with these items. Maybe at the same time as homework time, you can work alongside your child, if they are still at the age where they need that. Take pictures of art projects and keep a steady new supply of pictures on the fridge. Create an art folder to review with your kids every few months to get their input on pieces they want to keep and what can go.
6. Start the bedtime routine now. It will take a while to get back to earlier nights and earlier mornings! This will help everyone’s mood and energy levels. Start slow, maybe 20 minutes earlier until you find yourself back at your normal school night hours.
7. Encourage independence. Your kids are three months older than they were at the end of school. What new skills can they take on? The power of making your bed first thing in the morning has exponential impact on the rest of the day and the ability to dress themselves allows for more confidence in independent settings. What can you encourage your child to take on this school year?
8. Safety first. Take a walk with your child on their route to school and reintegrate the safety rules, how to cross the street, safe people to accept rides from, listening to crossing guards, and minding your signal. What time do teachers arrive in the school yard to watch kids before school? Ensure you and your kids are on the same page.
9. Talk it out. Your kid might be nervous, excited, anxious, brooding over an argument with a friend that didn’t resolve over the summer. Whatever it is, talk about it. Airing these things out before the first day of school, and proving your child a safe space to vent, will encourage positive mental health and a calmer transition to the new year.
10. Celebrate! Take some time to celebrate the start of school. Whether you do something fun after the first day or first week, celebrate making it through together and all the adventures, excitement, lessons and magic to come in this school year.
