It is time to get ready for school to start. The end of summer can be a stressful time as we prepare for the return of schedules, homework, lunches, and activities. Each year, I get excited for the new beginning, but also sad to see the relaxing days of summer come to an end. As with most big projects, it is easier to break them down into smaller tasks. This schedule was actually two weeks ago on Facebook & Twitter reminders. If you missed a few of the posts, there is still time to catch up, but you may need to plan out one activity/task per day.
Day 1: Schedule appointments for hair cuts, physicals, dentists, etc.
Day 2: Reward your kids for cleaning out their study/homework area.
Day 3: Schedule separate short shopping trips for buying supplies, clothing, shoes and backpacks in late July or early August. The shorter trips to get one or two things are much less exhausting than scheduling one day to pickup everything.
Day 4: Make a list of supplies you need to restock your child’s homework/project/study area.
Day 5: Help your kids clean out their closets. Donate unwanted items to your favorite charity. Make a list of clothing items each child needs to start the school year.
Day 6: Enter all the school holidays and early release days on your calendar.
Day 7: Beat the crowds by going shopping in late July or early August. Most supplies and clothing items are already on sale!
Day 8: Clean out and organize your “drop zone”. This is the area of your home where the kids put their jackets, backpacks and bags.
Day 9: If possible avoid stores and shopping during tax free weekend. The extra crowds on Tax Free Weekend really add stress, and take away from the fun!
Day 10: Fill out those online forms for the school year, enrollment, bus request, athletics, volunteer, PTA, etc.
Day 11: Make it a goal for your kids to finish summer reading assignments and projects before the last week of summer so you can relax.
Day 12: Start putting the kids to bed a little earlier each night to start adjusting their sleep schedules.
Day 13: Add money to your child’s lunch account.
Day 14: Now that you are prepared to start another school year, relax and have fun with the last days of your break!