- As we get ready to head back to school here are some tips we use at our house. I hope they help you to stay organized and ahead of the game!
- Have a set place for school stuff: Backpack, duffle bag, lunches. If it stays in one place it will not be forgotten. We have a place in the dining room.
- Establish where and when homework will be done. Bedroom, kitchen table, TV on or off, music? I have kids who sit down immediately after school and ones that need to relax before tackling anything. It’s okay to have different time for each child as long as you both know what is expected. Stick to your plan and then it becomes routine.
- What time is bedtime? It is hard to explain to a 13 year old why he has to go to bed at 9:30. What he doesn’t understand is how soon 6:00 am will come. A teenager needs as much sleep as a toddler. When do cell phones turn off? Games? Computer? TV? If you stimulate your kids before bed, do not be surprised that they cannot fall asleep. Their brain needs time to wind down. Once a time is established, start! It takes an average of two weeks for your body to adjust to time changes.
- Establish how you are going to do lunches. Buy? Make your own? Make the night before? Whichever you choose be prepared. I purchase prepackaged items for convenience; however, I might wash and cut up fruit and veggies on Sunday so they can be easily bagged during the week. Make sure you know what your child likes and does not like. One year I found out in April that my son did not like the peanut butter crackers I was packing all year. Apparently if no one at the lunch table wanted them, they were thrown away. Ugh!
- I love labels!
You can get iron on cloth labels from several vendors including Current Catalog. I have our last name put on them. You simply cut a strip and iron it on. We use it on workout gear, uniforms, etc. This helps when the whole team is wearing the same shirt! Also, you can use them for summer camp, mission trips, or anything that needs a name.I also like to get fun labels or even basic white folder labels and put their name on them. Then they can peel and stick the labels on everything from binders and markers to large items. Who doesn’t like to see their name and you can choose from hundreds of fonts.
- Purchase cheap towels (3 per child) from your favorite discount store or warehouse in a color that does not match your bathroom. It helps kids to “see” that they are different. Have your last name embroidered on each towel by a friend or local store, we use EmbroidMe. Instruct your kids to only use these towels for school, camping, church activities etc. If it gets lost, oh well, it was inexpensive. My boys use these for athletics since they have to shower each day.
- Speaking of school showers, we purchase the all in one shampoo and body wash. I use the travel containers and refill each weekend. When they take the large bottle it seems to become community soap and we go through it too fast. Make sure to pack deodorant and a towel.
