I can’t quite believe we will soon be packing up backpacks and getting ready to meet the bus once again. I find August to be the month when it all starts to fly by. We have yet to complete our back to school shopping but I know it’s right around the corner. I’ve put together some organizational tips that I’m desperately going to try and incorporate into our lives this year, hoping that maybe some may also help you at the beginning of this new school year.
1. Buy extra school supplies for the year. Keep these on a shelf or in a drawer so that when they run out you have some on hand. Chances are you won’t find them at a good price later on in the year. Label everything you send to school to make it easier for your child to retrieve lost items.
2. Organize a small pencil case with the essentials that will be kept at home for homework. Keep it wherever the kids will be doing their homework. If things are at hands reach there’ll be less wasted time at homework time. Essentials include a pencil, eraser, sharpener, ruler, scissors, glue and crayons. If kids are older, include a calculator, dictionary and protractor set. This year we also used a white board marker and white erase board to practice spelling words (this could work just as well with a chalkboard and chalk).
3. I’ve read about a great idea that sounds so practical — I just need to put it in place. Have a folder in the kitchen — label it school papers. When kids come in from school with school handouts they stick them in the folder and that way all papers are contained in one spot. We may not get a lot of paper home this year but keep this one in mind for next year. They could also get into the habit of taking out their class agenda for you daily so that you can see if there are notes from the teacher.
4. Lunch boxes, yuck. I hate lunch boxes and making lunches. I have always had my kids empty their backpacks when they get home. This year with a six, eight and 10-year-old they are going to be in charge of emptying their lunch boxes, with all containers going into the sink. Any little bit of help they can provide is a win as this is often a tiresome job for most parents. Tip — try and include cutlery for things like chopped up fruits this year to help keep their fingers out of their mouth. I’m going to try and remember to include cutlery every day as a habit.
5. Make lunch making easier and dedicate a cupboard or drawer to lunch snacks, easy to grab for lunches. Organize your Tupperware containers so that they are matched and have lids already on them to avoid the great Tupperware search. If you are sending things like muffins or cookies bake them ahead and freeze them. It’s so easy to pull one out and stick it in the lunch box and they defrost nicely by lunch time. If you are sending a pre-packaged snack, cut it open so little ones don’t have difficulty opening it.
6. Create a central calendar. As papers or notes come in, add them to the calendar. As activities and sports restart, add practices and games to the calendar. Keep everyone organized and up to date, visually.
7. Last but not least, reintroduce an early enough bedtime for your kids. It’s been so long since they’ve had to be up for school that it may take some getting used to it. Gradually get bedtime to an appropriate time so that they can have a good nights rest before school days.
With the little butterflies that come with back to school, I hope you and your little ones are eager for a new year. Here’s to a wonderful 2021-2022 school year for all.
Shelley Heaphy for The Parents’ Voice Shawville
