Get Them Ready
When my first son started Kindergarten, I had no idea that a school routine could be a shock to his system. By Wednesday of the first week of school, he was sick and missed the last half of the week! I learned quickly that I needed to start a week or two before school to help my children adjust back to a school schedule. You can begin by adjusting their sleeping schedule - put them to bed a little earlier and get them up a little closer to the right time. This way their body is getting the rest they need and the first week may not be so rough.
Because I have boys, I have to get their stomachs back on school schedule too. Instead of grazing the whole day, I set specific eating times that mimic the school schedule. That way, they won't be distracted by the grumbling belly in those first few days of school. Anything you can do to assist them getting back to the school routine will alleviate some issues that first week.
Get Their Stuff Ready
Back-to-School shopping can get expensive, but there are some easy ways to find the best deals. Because God calls us to be good stewards of what we are given, it is best to take advantage of sales. I most often use pinchingyourpennies.com. The people who run this site post sales from the weekly circulars and what coupons are available to use with those sale items. They have a specific "Back-to-School" forum that is especially helpful this time of year. Even if you are not an extreme coupon-er, this information is helpful and all in one place. Here is the link for the Arizona Back-to-School forum: http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/forums/showthread.php?s=470dcbfb65051dcc200ccad7d9887df3&t=203012
The Krazy Coupon Lady is also very helpful. They have a web page that is easily accessible or you could "Like" them on Facebook and get all sorts of deals directly to your news feed: http://www.facebook.com/TheKrazyCouponLady. They are even posting videos to YouTube telling you how to get the best deals on school supplies.
If you are not a store hopper, use the ads to create a shopping list - prices and all - and head to Walmart for price matching. If you take just a little extra time to do some research, you can save yourself a little bit of money.
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| I spent only $25 on these supplies from Staples and Office Max following the advice of The Krazy Coupon Lady! |
Get Yourself Ready
When you are out shopping, be sure to pick up some extra supplies for home. You'll need pencils and paper easily accessible for homework. Have your kids pick out their homework spot for the year and get it all prepared with supplies. I use their pencil boxes (and any other leftover usable supplies) from last year to hold their homework supplies for the new year.
Research some fun lunchbox ideas prior to school. Surprise your kids with something new and different. There are some ideas at Kraftfoods.com, but they also have lunch box jokes and notes in printable form. Get a few ready and surprise your kids with the "old school" note in the lunchbox! A joke shared at the lunch table may inspire a new friendship. Here's the link: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/kid-friendly/lunchbox-ideas.aspx
Be sure to attend your orientation night (sometimes called Meet the Teacher). You will usually find a wealth of helpful information that will make the transition from summer to school a little easier.
The start of school is quickly sneaking up on us all and it is vitally important that we spend some time preparing in whatever way we can. What kinds of things do YOU do with your kids to get them ready for the start of school? Leave them in the comments below.
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