HML 5 TIPS FOR GETTING “BACK TO SCHOOL” READY

As a mother of two beautiful little ones, getting back to school ready is key in me keeping my sanity! I personally am one for being proactive in my preparation rather then reactive and well this quick list may just help you out too!

1. Getting School Bed Time Ready NOW… Don’t wait to have your kid’s bed time adjusted the week of school , or worse yet the night before. Start two weeks before , IDEALLY, and try to go to sleep 10 minutes earlier each night so that the lax nights of summer sleep schedule is slowly replaced with their routined school bed time. Personally I am a mom for routine year round, and this battle doesn’t have to be a big one between parents and kids if done little by little.
2. Hang a family calendar in the kitchen or “family” area , color coding each kids activities so the guessing game of when the next activity is doesn’t become a regular in your household. Take about 30 minutes out of your day and assign a color to each family member ( older kids may even enjoy helping create this calendar). Another great idea is to post your child’s individual calendars in the “homework station” area, so new schedules can be learned over a little bit of time.
3. Create a space in your home that is a “homework station” or better yet a quiet place where each child can do their homework with little to no distraction. For us with a 6 year old and 3 year old, we only have 1 child with homework and giving her the time and space needed to complete her homework is essential in her getting confidence in knowing she is learning all sorts of fun new things.
4. Have a specific place to put backpacks, school supplies ( i.e. lunch box, signed papers, etc) so each child can be responsible for knowing where there goodies are each day both going to and coming home from school.
5. Get involved in your kids school. As a former PTA President of  my kiddies school, I understand the importance of volunteering or just being involved in our kids school. From helping to fundraise for needed supplies to just helping to spread the word of exactly what a teacher is looking to get done. I personally felt so much better about knowing what was going on in my children’s school from my own experience , then having to wait for either my kids to tell me or from a Room parent via email or phone call. I always told any parent wanting to get involved but not sure how much they wanted to do, ANY and ALL help is greatly appreciated as there are so many different roles from tasks to be done at school in the classroom or from the comfort of your own bed. Regardless find a way to help your children’s school and you will see how much of a positive effect it has not only for you personally but the role model you are being for your child!

Photos by Marta Villalba Photography