It’s time to get ready for back to school! With that time of year comes excitement, worry and shopping trips. As school comes so does the worry of what our children really need and what they don’t so that we do not end up buying things that are not necessary. Every school board, school and grade is different. It is hard to know what to do, and what to get. Then there are snacks and lunches! Where to begin…
When it comes to school supplies I have found that starting with basics is the best. For Kinder to Grade 2 the basics are pencils, eraser, ruler, pencil case and glue stick. When grade 3 arrives you add a calculator, protractor and pencil case and Grade 7 you add a compass set. These are the basics that kids need in terms of school supplies but when you get kids in the store they are bombarded with all the characters that they feel they need and all the glittery glue and fancy markers or giant binders that take up their whole desk.
If your children are older they can create a must have list. You come up with so many items that you are willing to buy. You can let them look at the flyers to choose or give them a price limit. Getting your children involved teaches them the value of money and gives them some responsibility. As parents and all the costs associated with back to school shopping we should also shop around before considering something is a good price or the best deal and saving money. One way is to look on coupon websites, store coupons or online shopping specials.
Sometimes it is worth it to invest in something special for your child, like a special backpack, shoes or a special outfit. This can help them feel they have a special “power” to attack a new grade, new classroom and new teacher. If you are bringing them out with you then that would give them the chance to pick out that special item.
For back to school we have to start the planning and preparation. Starting the night time and morning routines early is a good start. Letting them start to get dressed themselves, learn how to open snack containers and get up on time. One way is by having a schedule with words or pictures to help ease into a schedule. If lunches are an issue trying new lunches early is a great way to figure out what will be a hit or a miss. I started doing this last week and have learned of some things my daughter loves that I did not know about so it was worth it!
Now is the time to begin the dreaded sleep schedule. Every night it is best to start going to bed about ten minutes earlier then the night before so that when the first day arrives everyone is well rested and it is not a battle the night before school. Everyone would be ready to conquer the first day of school. Along with the sleep it is important to have the bedroom organized and ready for sleep as well as a study area set up so that they know where the homework will be done and feel in control.
Hopefully getting ready for school is not too costly or too worrisome. It helps to get organized and be prepared the best we can.
By Melissa
These are wonderful tips. I’ve got to get started on having my daughter sleep earlier and preparing clothing so she can get dressed in the morning. I think I’m going to get a magnet board and create a morning to do list to help her get started. She can then be guided. Lovely blog post!