Organization is the key when going back to school

School is an important part of any child’s life. It’s also a big commitment on the part of the parents, both from a time and money standpoint. Organization is the key when it comes to going to school.

You may have children starting school for the first time or returning to school at a higher grade level. In general, the same principles should apply. The better organized you are, the better it is for you and your children.

Purchase of school supplies and wall calendar

Most schools provide a list of necessary supplies to bring, ie pens, pencils, folders (may be color coded), labels, highlighters, etc.

Backpacks are essential for carrying books, papers, and other supplies. According to experts, the contents of the backpack should not exceed 10-20% of the child’s weight.

If you live in the US, check each state’s sales tax exemptions before you buy.

A wall calendar will be necessary to ensure that everyone keeps up with the new schedule, with extracurricular activities and/or sports. If you can, use an online calendar that both you and the children can update with important dates. This will come in handy if you are a working parent with a busy life, trying to juggle work and school commitments. It can be updated and any of you can access it from anywhere.

Establish a routine

• Start a few days before school and have your child(ren) go to bed and get up at normal times to get ready for school.

• Plan your nights so you can go to bed at the same time to get the amount of sleep needed for each individual child. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “sleep is especially important for children, as it directly affects mental and physical development.”

– Set a fixed time to go to bed each night and stick to it.
– Avoid giving large meals to children close to bedtime
– Avoid giving anything with caffeine less than six hours before bedtime
– Make playtime after dinner a relaxing time
– Establish a relaxing bedtime routine

• Plan a healthy breakfast and healthy snacks for each day so they have the energy to handle the day’s activities.

• Plan homework and exercise/play time.

• Each night before bed, get the children into the habit of choosing their clothes for the next day and packing their backpacks. This will ensure you don’t have to iron something in the morning or a last minute search for that paper that needs to be signed and delivered.

• Meet regularly (daily or weekly) to discuss what projects are due, when they are due, and what supplies are needed so you don’t have to go to the store at the last minute the night before a project is due.

• Once school starts, the calendar will quickly fill with activities. Study will be an important component. Teach kids to schedule their homework so they don’t feel overwhelmed and don’t wait until the last minute to complete assignments.

Learn Productivity and Organizational Skills

Try this great activity resource to help your child be successful in school as well as learn productivity and organizational skills: http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/succeed/index.html

To keep all your school documents and instructions organized, create a filing system where you can keep all your records in one place. Receipts for anything school-related can be included, along with information such as school reports, field trips, and any extracurricular activities. These files can be indexed in document management software so that when you need something, you can do a quick search on the keyword related to the article and find it quickly.

Organization is the key when preparing to go back to school. If you can instill that fact in your children and follow the same plan yourself, then you won’t feel completely overwhelmed. This will also teach your children how to better manage stress and balance in life.