It’s about that time again! As the back to school season kicks into gear, you’ll want to make sure you and your family are ready for homework, afterschool activities and the all-too-familiar early morning rush. We’ve put together a few ways you can get your home and family ready for it all.
Prepare for the schedule switch
Preparing for the switch from summer time to a regular school schedule is important—when you do it ahead of time, you should be able to prevent late nights and overly sleepy mornings. If possible, before school starts, have your child wake up the time they would need to for school. You can also have them eat their lunch when they would while in school. By getting them ready for set wake-up and meal times now, you can avoid the hassle of doing it during the school year.
Make food preparation easy
One of the biggest tasks in the morning is the preparation of breakfast and bag lunches for your child. To avoid that last-minute scramble when the bus rolls around, you can do a few things to make food prep time easy and efficient. Start the night before by setting aside the things you’ll need for breakfast and lunch—granola bars, juice cartons, bread and sandwich spreads, for example, can be placed in a basket or special space in your pantry to make the next morning easier.
Keep items near the door
We all want to keep clutter away from the door, but sometimes keeping your home’s entryway or mudroom can be counterproductive. Carve out a small space where your child can place out-the-door items: shoes, backpack, umbrella, musical instrument, sports bag, etc. You can also place a small paper tray or basket by the door to hold important papers and forms that can often be forgotten in the rush of the morning. The addition of a small shoe rack or wall hooks for backpacks and jackets can also be beneficial.
Leaving some items by the door can be convenient, but too much can of course lead to an overload of clutter. Encourage your child to bring items they don’t use every day, such as sweaters or show and tell items, straight back to their rooms to avoid a mess.
Create a designated study area
One of the biggest distractions from homework and study time is, of course, the TV or computer. Encourage your child to stay away from these until their homework is done by setting aside a designated work area for studying, homework, projects, and other school related activities. This way, your child isn’t tempted to put off their assignments in pursuit of entertainment or playtime—they have a clear space for work and a clear space for play, and they’ll better be able to stay on task.
Do you have any back to school tips you swear by? Share them with us in the comments as we take on the start of another school year!
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