10 Tips for a Successful Back-to-School Week

With school around the corner for so many of us and our kids, we mamas here at TETO thought we’d share some tips to help make those first school days a success for you and your families:

1) Get back to the daily grind: We all know that a free-spirited summer can interrupt those normal routines we established during the last school year. To prepare for those upcoming (and sometimes dreaded) early school mornings once again, spend the last two weeks of the summer getting back on track…starting with their bedtime routine. By having them go to bed a little earlier, they’re bound to wake up a little more optimistic and ready for that first back-to-school morning. This goes for parents, too. When mom and dad are well-rested in the morning and feel un-rushed, it makes for a more smoothly-run home. When everyone can wake up refreshed, they can follow their morning routine even better! Jen's I heart Organizing morning routine chart is an example of a great way to get your child's morning routine up and running.

Jen's I heart Organizing Morning Routine Chart

2)  Dress for Success. The first day of school can make parents and kids anxious for many reasons: maybe your child is attending a new school, they might be nervous about meeting new teachers, a new school route, tight schedules, homework, upcoming tests, etc.  To help out with some of those pre-school jitters, let your kids choose what they want to wear the night before. If you’re really ambitious, on Sunday night, let your kids choose what they want to wear for the whole week. And if you’re even just that more amazing, encourage your kids to set aside clothing items or accessories they might need for that after-school activities like ballet class, soccer practice or swim lesson throughout the week. When they know where to find their “stuff”, you don’t have to spend so much time in the morning searching for things around the house...which can lead to frustration for both parent and child.

Image Credit: Kangaroom Joey & Jane Organizer

3)  “Bomb”-tastic backpack- Have you ever noticed how mid-way through the school year your child’s backpack looks like an explosion of papers and mess? Maybe your child has thrown his/her backpack onto the floor when they get home? Start them off right by finding realistic ways to organize their backpacks.  Some families use mudrooms to organize their children’s school belongings after they come home. Others utilize family “command centers”  in their kitchens or family rooms to keep them better organized. Their child might even have their very own folder to place school documents and homework assignments for their parents to review. Either way, ask your child for their input on how you can help them be more organized this new school year. They might have a suggestion or two!

Image credit: Lund Family Back-to School ideas

4) Back-to-school dinner. Plan a special dinner for your kids the night before school starts. Whether you go out to eat or stay at home for a cozy dinner, ask them what they would like to eat and make it a fun event for the whole family. When your kids see how excited you are for the new school year, they might even get excited, too.

5) Goals are on the menu. During that first week back-to-school, have your kids make and write down goals or draw pictures of things they want to accomplish for the new school year. Laminate the goals and use them as dinner place mats. This will act as a daily (or weekly if you don't want it to get too casual) reminder for you and your kids to know what your family and their personal goals are for the new school year. It can be as simple as “keeping my backpack organized and tidy” to a more involved goal like “getting A’s in most of my classes”. Have them write down what necessary steps need to be taken to be successful and to meet their goals.

Image Credit: Be prepared not Scared: Goals Placemat

6) Menu Planning- Let the family be involved in the weekly menu planning. With younger kids, they can choose a couple of meals they would like to eat that week. If it becomes overwhelming or difficult, make a list of breakfast, lunch and dinner options and have the kids choose from the list the meals they would like to eat. By having the kids more involved with menu planning, it takes the guessing out of “what’s for dinner, Mom/Dad?” And, you might even make some fun family memories as you cook together. You can make or buy a menu board like the one below from Robby Gurls Creations.

Image credit: Robby Gurls Creations-Menu board

 7) Family Time- With hectic new school schedules and extra- curricular after school activities, make time to unwind with your family. Reserve one night out of the week to hold a family council and to discuss important upcoming activities and put them on the calendar, family goals, lessons learned for the week, positive experiences, etc. After discussing events and important matters, make it fun by playing a short and simple game with one another. By spending quality family time together, communication lines can stay open and it can potentially help keep each other in tune with what’s important.

8)   Brain Freeze – Have you heard that summer can turn a brain to mush? It’s easy to forget lessons learned, even for adults, and even more so after after a hiatus. Even if the summer is almost over, take some time to search free online resources that will help your kids review some of the curriculum from the previous year, or pick up a couple of school workbooks to refresh those minds. Also, try getting in contact with the school administrators and teachers to see what additional information you can find about your child’s grade’s curriculum and how you can better prepare your kids for the new school year.

9)  Clean the house and stock up on supplies- A week or two before school starts, take some time to clean the house and get rid of used clothing, shoes your children have outgrown, and other school supplies. Once you can start with a clean slate, you’ll know what clothing, school or house supplies your kids really need for those first days of school.

10) Appreciate teachers- The back to school time can be nerve-racking for your child’s teacher(s), as well. Reach out to his/her teachers with a kind, uplifting email or note letting them know you are here to help and to provide additional contact information. Most teachers appreciate and even welcome open-communication with their students’ parents. Teach your kids to warmly greet and shake their teachers’ hand on the first day. First impressions from the kids and their parents can make a hug difference on that first week of school!

Image Credit:  North American Montessori Center

Here's to a wonderful new school year!