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Parent Tips for Back to School: Save Time, Money, and Energy
By Meaghan Montrose
The new school year is here! (or at least very close for some). Although the focus tends to be on the children, parents can find the start of a school year to be stressful, overwhelming, and draining as well. Here are a few tips for parents to prepare for the new school year and start off on a positive note.
1. Establish a routine.
Before school has begun you should start to implement school-time routines. Having these daily procedures set up ahead of time will make the transition back into the school year easier. This includes adjusting summer sleep patterns by having an earlier bedtime and an earlier wake up time. (This is really important for older children who tend to extend their wake up time over the summer months.) This is also a good time to establish other routines that you want throughout the year such as allotted time for reading/homework, television and video game time restrictions, or family chat time.
2. Get your kids excited.
Going back to school is so much easier if your kids want to do it. A week or two before school starts you should talk about going back and get your child to look forward to the new school year. Avoid negative comments that focus on the end of summer fun or the start of a serious work year. Instead, focus on all the positives of the upcoming year. This task tends to be easier with younger kids, but there are plenty of things for teens to get excited about as well. Try pointing out the benefits of being an upperclassmen, taking a new elective, playing school sports, joining a club, seeing friends, making new friends, learning new things, becoming more independent, etc.
3. Avoid morning chaos.
The morning of a school day can be a nightmare. Getting the kids up, washed, dressed, fed, and out the door can be quite a challenge. Ease the morning burdens by doing as much prep as possible ahead of time. Prepare as much as possible the night before such as making lunches (try using leftovers from dinner or making a big salad you can use for a few days), picking out clothes, packing all homework and books in the backpack, and deciding what to eat for breakfast. Dealing with less in the morning will start both you and your child off for a better day.
4. Make contact early.
This means checking out the school website, looking for teacher websites, and emailing or calling the teacher. The websites will give you and your child information about what to expect for the upcoming year and even what you will need for the upcoming year. Many teachers post a list of required class materials on their websites. Within the first few weeks of school you should make contact specifically with your child’s teacher(s). This lets the teacher know you are concerned and involved in your child’s education and that they can count on you to help if any issue arises. You can also give the teacher your preferred method of contact such as email, cell phone, work phone, etc.
5. Shop wisely.
All of the school supplies that you need to purchase can add up to quite a large bill very quickly. Be sure to take advantage of the back to school sales. With all of the sales that take place around this time there is no need for you to pay full price for anything. Before you shop, however, take a look at what your kids still have left over from last year. There is no need to buy something new if it still works or if your child doesn’t use it. In some cases, it is smart to wait until after your child has met the teacher or received a list of materials. Many teachers require specific supplies (such as a three-ring binder instead of a spiral notebook) so you don’t want to make unnecessary purchases before knowing what is required.
Topics: Parenting, Your Home Life | 3 Comments »
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I couldn’t agree with these more!
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[...] have a few decent ideas, I am not perfect and occasionally, it is evident. I think some of the best teacher resources are other teachers. They can also bring you down so be careful who you allow into your [...]
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[...] have a few decent ideas, I am not perfect and occasionally, it is evident. I think some of the best teacher resources are other teachers. They can also bring you down so be careful who you allow into your [...]