GET KIDS ORGANIZED FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL
There are 10 great ideas and tips this article provides to make getting your kids organized for back-to-school less stressful. Read on!
- Create a Family Calendar (this is also known as a Family Command Center)
With sports practices and games, homework, and after school activities, your family needs to keep these dates organized to keep track of it all. You certainly want to remember when one of your children needs to be picked up after a game or competition! Setting up a family calendar is key! It might be a magnetic white board, a large paper calendar mounted on a wall or a shared digital calendar accessible to everyone. If you’re thinking of going the digital route, here is more information to know: shared digital calendar
Set up a Homework Station
Be ready for the inevitable homework by setting up a quiet space for your kids to do their homework — either in desks in their rooms or the kitchen table. Stock them with supplies in a caddy like this as one example: create a caddy and keep the routine of the time of day for homework and place so they learn to stay organized and aware of when their assignments are due.
Have a bin for after-school snacks
Your kids will definitely be hungry for a snack as soon as they come home from school so have designated bins accessible to all ages of children in your family in the pantry and refrigerator with parent-approved snacks
Hooks for backpacks or cubbies
For the family to stay organized, the mudroom (hopefully you have this space or a front or back closet) needs to have hooks installed for coats and backpacks and/or cubbies or a cupboard or closet for these items. Good habits of hanging coats and storing backpacks, preferably near a door, needs to start young and be regularly reinforced!
Declutter closets and dressers before school starts
Take the time at the end of the summer to go through your childrens’ clothing to refresh their wardrobe with a few new items at the start of the school year and clothes that will fit since kids do keep growing! Donate (or set aside their outgrown clothes in good condition for family or friends) to make room for new items.
Create a Morning Routine Schedule or Checklist
It is always recommended you plan for the next day the night before — school mornings getting out the door are always busy in most households. Lay out clothes, pack the backpack, make lunch, check your calendar to be reminded of your activities for the day — all the night before! Then it’s bathing (if that didn’t happen the night before) and breakfast and it’s off to school. Here are some examples of of checklists that are visual if your child needs something additional to stay focused: visual schedule.
Create an Emergency Car Kit
The emergency car kit has everything the family might need at the last minute such as granola bars if breakfast had to be missed; pens to sign permission slips; money for the cafeteria
Set up a Parent Inbox for Papers and Schedules
It makes sense to have a dedicated inbox or basket that children know is the place for papers the school/teachers send home with them (permission slips, notes from the teacher, report cards.) This also might be the right place for store lunch menus, PTA reminders, sports schedules unless you have created a binder with tabs for these kinds of papers.
Plan Ahead for School Lunches
If your kids bring their lunch every day, create routines for preparation ideally the night before. You can set up sandwich packing stations for them to make their own. Or Mom and Dad should have them ready to go since mornings are so hectic. Or, have school lunch money packed in the backpack the night before so you have a smooth running machine every school morning.
Start Meal Planning or Create Freezer Meals for Dinner
The author of the blog is a busy Mom herself so she knows that meal planning in advance is critical. Evenings during the school year get busy with activities and sports and homework. Dinner might be late or not-so-healthy take out. Organizing in advance and freezing meals to thaw on busy nights will relieve your stress and make you feel good about having healthier meals to serve your family.
Reprinted with permission from https://www.organizedmom.net/getting-ready-for-school/
|
