It’s that time of year again, scrambling to purchase uniforms; last minute schools supplies and get all those forms filled out in time…. It’s back to school time.  After a long summer break it’s often rough to get back into the routine of school days.  With lunches to pack, kids to dress and homework to accomplish, back to school time can be a little hectic without a plan.

Here are your tips to promoting a back to school routine:

• Make a list – Make one list per child of everything he or she will need for their first day of school such as lunch boxes, gym clothes, and school supplies.  Your Kindergartener will have other needs than your sixth grader so it helps to plan ahead.  Tick things off your list as you purchase and prepare them.
• Schedule Tasks – Family life doesn’t always go to plan but try to set a flexible schedule for certain tasks such as homework times.  Plan ahead so that you can fit in homework and dinner times around the kid’s extracurricular activities without having to rush too much.  Kids get tired and if they’re rushing from one place to the other, they will be less than agreeable when they then need to sit down and do their homework. By setting a flexible schedule and even meal planning you can avoid a lot of unnecessary disagreements.
• Manage a Calendar – Get a good size calendar and put it up in a prominent place in your kitchen, write down any important dates such as teacher parent meetings or deadlines for taking certain things in to school.  During the first days especially you’ll be getting lots of notes and reminders so it’s good to have a system in place before school starts.
• Generate a Bedtime Routine – A few days before school starts try to start formulating a bedtime routine.  If your kids already have one that’s fine but if you’ve been a little relaxed over the summer break it’s probably best to slowly get them back into the routine.  Talk about the importance of getting enough sleep so that they can feel good at school and try to stick to a schedule.
• Plan Ahead – Preparing things the night before will alleviate a lot of morning stress.  Leave your kids clothes ready for the next day, prepack their lunches, make sure their school bags are packed.  Come morning, both you and the kids will be a lot more relaxed if you don’t have to rush.

By thinking ahead a little bit you can ensure that back to school is a pleasant and enjoyable time for the whole family.