I don’t know about other parents, but I confess the thought of my children returning to school after two long months of summer vacation brings tears to my eyes. Not tears of sadness mind you, but tears of joy.
Don’t get me wrong - I love my children and enjoy spending the summer with them - however, I have six all under the age of twelve and expecting our seventh child in February. By the time August hits, I am exhausted and ready to get them organized for the big day! Getting ready is not easy, but here are a few things I do to get everything in gear!
Do not wait until the week before school starts to get everything. Many stores have school supplies on sale during the months of June and July, so buy in bulk to help cut the financial burden, especially if you have a big family.
If your children eat lunch at school, than buy lunch time essentials during the summer and store them where the kids can’t see or get them. Quite often juice boxes, kool–aid, fruit snacks etc. go on sale over the summer months. Take advantage of the lower prices and stock up!
Establish your children’s schedule at least two or three weeks before school starts and post it all on a big calendar. Use different colours for each child to mark down activities such as dance, soccer, or Tae Kwon Do. Don’t forget to schedule in Mommy time and a date night with the hubby as well!
Create a homework schedule around the children’s evening activities. If you have some children who are too young for homework, still set aside a time for reading, colouring, tracing letters, or colouring. This way they know what to expect each evening and there is no rushing around trying to cram everything in. As well, it creates wonderful studying habits and organizational skills.
About two weeks before school starts, I start setting earlier bedtimes and wake up times. Each night they go to bed five or ten minutes earlier and wake up five or ten minutes earlier. This gives their bodies and minds time to adjust.
When buying the children new clothes, slip in a few items for yourself. Remember, the date night.
Finally, stock up on wine, beer, or whatever your drink of choice is. You’ll need it the first week school starts!
Printer-friendly version