Back to School Tips For Parents

We’re halfway through July, which can only mean one thing: We’re halfway through summer! I can’t believe it, but at the end of August, I will have two kids entering second grade. This means I need to start shopping for back to school supplies soon. There are so many things I want to do as a family before school starts back up. And it just feels like there isn’t enough time to do all of those things! Here are some back to school tips fo think about as we enter the second half of summer.

Stock up on supplies throughout summer

I made a mistake last year right before school started up. It was days before they set to start first grade. My wife and I grabbed their shopping list from their teacher. There were a lot more items on that list than we bargained for. Notebooks, crayons, special pencils, erasers, markers, notebooks, lunch box, a backpack, books, glue sticks, scissors. The list goes on and on. And this was just first grade!

I’m never making that mistake again. Stock up on supplies throughout the summer. When you’re out with your family, grab a few school supplies and store them away. We were at the outlets the other weekend and there was a HUGE sale on shoes. Bingo. We bought their new school shoes in July. We stored them away so they will be nice and new on their first day of school. But this saves us the stress of running out the weekend before school starts to fill up on school supplies. Save yourself some stress and stock up early!

Get back into a sleep schedule two weeks before school starts

My kids are getting to the age where they are starting to realize that sleeping in late during the summer can be a great thing. My daughter loves to wake up at 6:30 am on the dot. But my boys enjoy sleeping and it puts a smile on daddy’s face. However, as we near the start of school, I like to get our family back in routine of waking up earlier to ensure we are prepared for a school schedule.

During school season, we are up around 6:30 am, which allows us time to get dressed, eat breakfast and brush teeth. We are out the door by 7:45 am and headed to school. Two weeks before school starts, I ensure that our kids get to bed on time the night before and start getting back into the routine of waking up earlier. This helps us ease into a school schedule without complaining!

Ask your kids if they have questions or concerns about returning to school

I remember how I felt every single year returning to school. I would worry. Anxiety would take over. I stressed about if I would make friends. Would my locker jam on my way to class? So many silly concerns. But chances are, your kids are carrying similar worries and concerns. Sit with your kids and discuss expectations. Ask them if they have questions about their first few weeks of school. What concerns do they have? You are their super hero and it’s your job to protect them and make them feel safe. It starts with a discussion and active listening.

Establish a homework routine

One of my favorite back to school tips is to establish a homework routine during the summer before your kids start school. What does this look like? For my family, we have our kids work on worksheets a few days each week. It only needs to be 10 minutes or so. But it keeps their skills top of mind and they gain confidence on their skills throughout the summer. It also allows for my kids to continue a homework routine so they don’t lose what they have learned.

Plan out the remainder of your summer activities

At the end of the day, don’t forget that it’s still summer! You still have a few weeks before school starts. Make the most of those days. If you are looking for some ideas, I have laid out some ideas for summer family activities in several of my posts:

• 21 Best Summer Activities
• 22 Weekend Family Activities
• 10 Refreshing Fun Water Activities For Families
• 25 Family Bonding Activities