SMART BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS!

Written by Caroline Meyer

Back to school can be chaotic. Making sure everyone has everything they need for the day and making it to school on time can be stressful for everyone. Here are a few tips to make back to school easier. 

PUT A ROUTINE IN PLACE 

Make adjustments if necessary over the first week, but put a routine in place so you know at what point each person is with their morning routine. Maybe have a chart where the kids can move along a magnet with their face or name on it as they complete tasks. This way you know at a glance who is lagging behind and may need some help getting ready. For the first two days, get everyone up 15 minutes early to make sure they can follow the routine and get out the door in time. You can then adjust the routine for an earlier or later start if needed. 

MAKE SURE EACH KID KNOWS WHAT BELONGS TO THEM 

Maybe use colour coding for backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles and so forth. Have a tray or hanger in their colour with their clothing for the day and make sure clothing is labelled with names to prevent things going missing at school. Have a spot near the door to hang backpacks so there isn’t a mad rush to find them when it is time to leave.  

PREPARE BREAKFAST EARLY 

If you make a cooked breakfast in the morning, you can try doing it the night before and warming up the food in the morning. If you do cereal, have it out and ready on the table, along with bowls and cups and additions such as chopped fruit, honey etc. so breakfast is quick and simple in the morning. For quick, on the go breakfasts, you can chop up fruit the night before and in the morning add yoghurt and make smoothies they can drink for a healthy energy boost to start the day. 

PREPARE LUNCHES THE NIGHT BEFORE 

Add the snacks, fruit and other foods that don’t need preparation into the lunch boxes the previous night. Most sandwiches are okay overnighting in the fridge as well. If you prefer to make fresh, leave this task for the morning and make sure you have allocated enough time to get it down before the mad rush to the door. Water and juices can also be prepared the night before and placed in the fridge to stay cool, ready for the next day. 

HOMEWORK 

Once the kids are safely to school, you have a breather until they head home after school. You can set up homework stations for the children at home with all the items they may need to complete their homework. Have the stationary to hand and ensure that everything is packed back in to place after homework is complete. Use tubs, jars and bottle to store stationary and label with names or colours for each child so there is no fighting over what belongs to whom. Make sure the workspace is adequate and chairs are comfortable.  Set times for work to be done as well as for breaks.  

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 

Pack bags for after school activities such as ballet or swimming the night before and have it ready by the backpacks at the door or place it in the car for the next day. Have a check list of equipment if needed so that you make sure you have everything packed. When you get home, unpack the bag so items that need to be washed can go into the laundry. Place the equipment back into the bag so nothing is mislaid. 

You can probably think of a few more tips and tricks to make back to school a lot less stressful for you and for the kids. Handy lists and charts are a good way of keeping track. Routine lists for the kids can be set up and explained and maybe even used before going back to school so they get used to them prior to the back to school panic. Keep your cool, everything will fall into place soon enough!