It’s natural to get a little nervous on the first day back, but here’s a quick reference guide for how to make it easier.
Whether it’s eighth grade or kinder, some kids get the jitters about the first day of school. Others get so excited, they barely sleep the night before, and some kids are totally neutral. Sometimes it’s a mix of all these things.
Preparation and organization can help your kids have the best possible first day back, so start now before school starts and everyone in your household feels like their ducks are in a row. Here are a couple quick tricks to get you motivated.
- Make a lunch menu. If your kids are going to bring their lunch to school, sit down and decide what kinds of healthy meals and snacks they would like. You can make a list of foods you’ll need each week and this will help automate shopping.
- Allocate a spot for all the school stuff. Lunch box, keys, schoolbooks, backpacks…the list of things they need on a daily basis requires organization. Let them choose within reason, where things go – that way they are more likely to return their possessions to the proper place.
- Make a school year calendar. You can do this on a white board in a common area, or you can get all 21st century about it if your kids are older and have smart devices. Either way, make that calendar the central planner for your family so that when school events, special materials, after school projects, or homework needs attention, everyone is well informed.
- Lay out the next day’s clothes. If you don’t do this already, or just get lax about it during the summer, rev back up. It will save the kids a ton of time. And time is of the essence on that first morning.
- Label stuff. For your younger ones, it’s always a good idea to get some labels and tag their clothing. It’s also a relief for the teachers when they can tell which stuff belongs to each child.
- Talk to the grown ups. If this first day is at a new school, get as much advance exposure to the teachers, bus drivers, carpool mommies, and administrators as you can. Familiar faces will really help your child when he or she arrives.
- Reset bedtime. Those long summer days are about to get a lot shorter, and kids need adequate sleep to concentrate and feel positive.
- Plant a surprise. It could be a special pencil in their back pack, a note in a book, or a small treat in their lunch, but just a little something to remind them you love them and you are so proud of them.
- Give yourself plenty of time. When the big morning arrives, give everyone enough of time to eat a good breakfast, brush teeth, and double-check they have everything they need. Getting there on time the first day is important, but rushing is never pleasant either.
And…..take a deep breath, because if you handle all this now, the kids will feel calm and confident, ready to take on another exciting year of school. Plan some low-key family fun that first week too so that the routine doesn’t feel too rigid and everyone feels good about getting back into the swing of things.
Here’s to getting off on the right foot for a great school year ahead!
