Countdown to the Classroom

The 2015-2016 school year is almost here! Are you prepared?

Photo provided by fuseink.com

Getting ready for a new school year can be daunting. To make the process a little easier, here are some tips to help ensure your child is prepared for the new year. 

Get Talking: Begin talking about school well before the first day back. Talk about the new friends they will meet, the new things they will learn, etc. Plan back to school shopping trips and discuss your child’s “signature style” for the new year. What was cool last year is probably not cool this year. You might be thinking skinny jeans when in reality tie-die and neon are back in style (but let’s hope not, for everyone’s sake).

Get Organized: There are tons of things to organize before the first day of school, from purchasing school supplies, clothes and school shoes to arranging after-school sports practices, signing forms and planning car pools. Start organizing these things now…don’t wait till the last minute. Get the kids involved in the organization process… have them prepare shopping lists, make calendars, etc. Organization is fun people! Show us a person who doesn’t love a label maker and we’ll show you a person who is sad 99% of the time. 

Get Back Into the Routine: If your child had specific routines during the last school year, it’s a good idea to reintroduce those before the first week of school. This will help ease them back into their normal schedule while also ensuring that their first week back isn’t too overwhelming. Remember that bed time that magically didn’t exist over the summer? Well, guess what kids…its back. Get used to it, because sleep is important. 

In the days and weeks immediately preceding the first day of school, make an effort to find out some basic information about what awaits your child. For example: 

• What will their daily schedule be like?  
• What time does school be­gin and when does it end each day?  
• If riding the bus, when does it pick up and where?  
• Are certain clothes required for P.E. class?  

If possible, visit your school's website to get the low down on what's in store for the new school year.  

And now you're ready. So move over summer…cause the new school year is here and we are excited about it!