Back to school time is here and with it all the chaos that comes with it. Simplify it with some Back To School Prep Tips For Parents.

Back To School Preparation Tips For Parents

Are your kids ready to return to school? While many parents look forward to the end of the summer break, it can still have a habit of creeping up on us. Below are a few important back-to-school preparation tasks to carry out now (don’t wait until the day before!). 

Check which school items you need –  and buy them in good time

Make sure that you know exactly which school items your child needs. This could include stationery equipment like a pen, pencil, ruler and rubber, as well as school uniform supplies such as shoes and a new blazer. Some parents like to leave clothing items until the very end of the summer to ensure that their child doesn’t grow out of them by the time they go back to school, which is sensible. However, you don’t want to leave it too late to go shopping – some stocks may run out and you’ll have to deal with queues as many parents will have the same idea. 

Make a note of any important events and dates

If your child is starting a new school for the first time, there could be introductory events to keep track of or unique school hours to help your child adjust. It’s important to make a note of all of this so that you don’t end up missing an event or picking up your child late on a date when they’re scheduled to finish early. There will usually be a school newsletter detailing this information, however, you may also be able to find it on the school website or by calling up the school (school office staff will usually come in a week before).

Get your kids’ brains back into study mode

You could encourage your kids to get back into the habit of studying by giving them a few learning exercises. Look into summer bridge activities – you can find booklets dedicated to all kinds of topics. Some kids may have homework to do over the summer and it may be worth checking that your kids have done this.

Get your child back into a good sleep routine

If your child has been going to bed late and sleeping all morning, it could be worth getting them out of this habit before the school term begins. Try to enforce a few earlier nights before school officially starts and consider planning activities in the morning to encourage your child to get up early. This will make it less of a shock when your child has to get up early on their first school day.

Plan for any work schedule changes

Consider whether you need to make any changes to your working hours when the term starts. It’s possible that you may have had to temporarily reduce hours over the summer break or work from home to look after your child. Now that your child is back at school, this may not be necessary. Remind your employer of this or adjust your own personal schedule if you’re self-employed. Remember that a guardian will need to be available to drop off and pick up your child.