1.) Sort through all your children's clothes & shoes. Donate what is no longer needed. Declutter! Access what is needed for the start of school. Only buy what is needed.
2.) Plan before you shop! Look for the back to school bargains. There are some awesome deals circulating. Be a savvy shopper.
3.) Don't wait until the night before to tackle the school supply list. At my daughter's school we fortunately don't have supply list but at her old school we did. Often times the items end up being sold out.
4.) Create a calendar. Between school and extracurricular activities things can get hectic. Color coding by family member can help keep busy lives straight. I have my daughter's schedule for dance, soccer and the days off written in our calendar up until December. Make sure the calendar can be seen!
5.) Make sure all your children's health records and immunizations records are up to date. I had a friend that didn't have the current paperwork submitted and her kids were sent home from school. Athletes need proof of physical. Better to have everything ready then to have to run around frantically last minute.
6.) Get into a back to school routine ahead of time. During the summer I extend my daughter's bedtime a bit. This week we will be back to our school night routines.
7.) Plan snacks and lunches. I've already drilled my daughter about what she would like in her lunch and for snack. Her lunch box and portion containers are ready for some nutritious food.
8.) Chat with your kiddos about any concerns they have before the start of school. Help calm their nerves.
9.) Organize a homework space. My daughter and I cleaned out her desk last week. She has a nice open space to get her homework completed. For reading she loves to create a little nook in her bed to snuggle up with a good book.
10.) Set goals for the upcoming school year. Have your child write those goals down and check back frequently to see how close he/she is to completing those goals. My daughter is hoping to jump up a couple more reading levels.
