Get a Smart Start to the School Year

It’s back-to-school time here in KC, and with it come opportunities to establish great habits for a fantastic new school year for everyone in your entire family! Here are 10 ways you can prepare for the best school year yet!

Establish Your School Year Sleep Routine Early

Summer’s a great time for late nights and sleeping in. But by resetting to a healthy sleep time/wake time, you start your school days off on the right foot. Don’t wait this one out too long. Small, incremental steps are key. Consider rolling back bedtime 10-15 minutes every few days until you’ve gotten into your ideal school year sleep routine. Likewise, have your children rise earlier in similar increments. Remember: Kids between the ages of 6 and 18 optimally need 10 to 12 hours of sleep. Consider getting blackout curtains to keep summer sunrays shielded during bedtime and shut screens off at least an hour before hitting the hay. By establishing healthy habits before the school year begins, you’ll already be well on your way to a successful academic day.

Be Backpack Savvy

Not all backpacks are created equal. In addition to scouting out the coolest prints, patterns or logos, look for gear that is properly fitted to the child, including wide padded straps, padding on the back and a base that rests at the child’s waistline (avoid backpacks that rest lower). A full bag should not exceed 10-20% of a child’s body weight. Encourage your children to use their backpacks properly, utilizing both straps for even weight distribution instead of slinging the bag over one shoulder.

Hit Back-to-School Sales

Every year it seems retailers begin offering back-to-school sales earlier. Do your homework to find which places serve your needs best. One of the best places to start? Shopping at home. That’s right! Take inventory of all the leftover supplies your child has from previous years before hitting the store. You might be surprised at how much is covered. From there, build a shopping list, budget and do price comparisons between sellers so you aren’t taken by surprise at the store. For added savings, sign up for email alerts, download couponing apps or become a store rewards member.

*Bonus Tip: Not all savings comes in the form of coupons and sales prices. Consider going in on a bulk buy with friends and family for staple items like Kleenex, GermX or office supplies.

Be Prepared for Returns

Kids outgrow clothes before they even wear them. Or you buy one too many boxes of office supplies. Whatever the reason to take an item back, make sure you’re aware of the return policies at the retailers you purchase from, whether there are time restrictions, receipts required or in-store credit vs. cash refunds available. Likewise, remember to keep all original packaging and receipts in order to make returns a piece of cake.

Establish a Command Center at Home

If you have a specific space within your home for important information and gear (think homework, bills, keys, backpacks and shoes), then it will be that much easier to find what you’re looking for when running out the door in a hurry. Remember, designated areas help everyone establish good organizational habits! Organization systems abound, and Pinterest offers a broad array of “pinspiration” to get your creative juices flowing. You can go big (built-ins, mud room) or small (a magazine rack for incoming papers and a hook for keys). The key is finding something that works for you and your crew long term so that you will have that much less stress on a day-to-day basis.

Have a Heart-to-Heart

Starting school for the first time, going to a new school or simply starting back after a long, lackadaisical summer can trigger anxiety in both children and teens. Keep the pathway of communication open and discuss things if your child has ongoing concerns, fears or unresolved social or academic issues from the previous school year. Take a tour of the school, attend an open house and look for other like-minded families in your community that attend the same school to establish relationships both inside and outside the formal learning setting.

Rock the School Lunch

The sandwich is your most versatile meal on the go. That drab PB&J or ham and cheese can get an instant facelift when wrapped in a pita, tortilla or served bare with an assortment of crackers. Consider a bento-box style lunchbox over a traditional one, as the compartments encourage providing a variety of foods. Limit the amount of boxed items and go for whole foods like fresh berries and yogurt, fresh veggies and hummus or tortilla chips and guacamole. Don’t have a bento? No problem. Use an old Rubbermaid or Glasslock container and place silicone cupcake liners to separate foods.

Make a Countdown Celebration

Young and old alike enjoy the anticipation that comes with timelines—and who doesn’t love an excuse to party? Fashion a good, old-fashioned paper chain, one loop for each day until the first day of school, and place it in a prominent place within your home. Every day a family member can take off a chain link until there’s nothing left. As the lazy, hazy days of summer come to a close, determine a family celebration day where you fete the end of summer and the advent of school. It can be as simple as going out for ice cream coupled with back-to-school shopping or as elaborate as taking a final summer vacation.

Lauren Greenlee is a boymom of four who loves all things back to school related. She writes from her Olathe home.