Whether you’re an old hand at this school thing or a first-timer there are a few things you can do in the week leading up to School going back that will alleviate some stress. Here are 8 things you can do this week.
You can:
1. Check Uniforms
Check now that you have all the correct uniforms and that they fit! Often kids do a lot of growing over the summer break – so don’t get caught out assuming their uniforms will still fit. If you have a little one starting school it is a good idea for them to try on their uniform in the week before to familiarise themselves with the fit and feel so they feel comfortable and confident on the day.
It is a good idea to suss out the shoe situation at this point as well. It is well worth investing in a good pair of durable school shoes. Again, try them on and wear them a bit in the week leading up to school starting to avoid any blisters or rubbing on the first week back.
(If you have a girl, it is a good time to also check you have the necessary hair accessories).
2. Do A Recky
(A reconnaissance mission)
Do a dry run on how you are going to get to school – whether it be by car or public transport – make a trip to the school at a similar time of day. Firstly, it will familiarise yourself and your kids with the route but it will also give you an approximate time it will take to get there. You can also sort out drop off and pick up meeting spots together on this trip.
3. Check You Have ALL The Gear
Ok. This one is the biggie. Check you have everything you need for the first week. I’m talking about books, stationery, lunchboxes, hats, library bags, painting smocks, tissues, any extra curricular equipment (eg. instruments, swimming goggles) etc.
Get your child to go through their book list and extra curricular activities and tick the things off as you go. It is better to find out now that you need something rather than the first morning.
4. Label Everything
I have fallen into the trap of doing this at the last minute and it wasn’t fun! If you have time now, label everything that is going to go to school with your child. You can either use a permanent marker or sticky labels.
5. Haircuts
If your kiddo is in need of a haircut this is a good week to sort that out. Some schools have certain hair style restrictions that need to be adhered to so it is a good idea to check this out first.
6.Take Photos
If you want to take a short cut – while your kids are all dressed in their uniforms from trying them on – take the ‘first day’ photos then. It might take a bit of the stress out of the first morning. You may want to use a photo prop for this – eg. have your child hold a piece of paper with “First Day for 2016”. We have a free one and sone great tips here.
7. Write Messages
If you plan to add special messages to your kids lunchbox or bag – write them now when you’re not rushed or time pressured. You can keep them in a drawer and have them ready to pop into their bag or lunchbox before the school year even starts. If you are like me, this is one of those things that I would love to do but inevitably run out of time. So get organised now.
8. Plan a Celebration
Plan a small celebration to mark the end of the first week back. It doesn’t have to be extravagant to be special. It could be that you make their favourite dinner or buy them an iceblock. It is just a small way to celebrate the end of the first week back and let them know how proud you are of them. If you plan it now, you will be more likely to carry it out.
Good luck everyone!
