Back to School
Getting Your Kids Ready for Back to School
It’s that time of year again, time for the little ones to head back to school. It always seems as though summer comes and goes in the blink of an eye. It’s hard to believe that it will be September next week. It is probably safe to say that your children aren’t quite ready to go back to school just yet, but there are a few great tips that you can start to implement now to help. Starting a new schedule after the lazy days of summer is never an easy task. But we have some organizational tips that are sure to help you get your kids ready for back to school!
Create Back to School Lunch Menus
PB & J sandwiches are so last year. Why not start this year out with some fun, healthy and delicious recipes instead! It can be tough to try and fit all 4 food groups into every single lunch as a parent, all you can do is try your best. We have some awesome options for you to try out. Like the delicious turkey pinwheels that the whole family will enjoy or the fun “breakfast for lunch” option is also a kid-friendly hit! Kebobs and veggies are such to delight your children and maybe spark some jealousy with other parents. Chicken salad and hard-boiled eggs are another wonderfully healthy option as well. And who doesn’t love homemade pizza buns?!
Start a New Routine
Everyone in the family is so used to living on summer… time and being able to sleep in and relax. All of this is about to change to “go-time” instead. Because of this, it is a good idea to get into a new routine now to make the transition easier. Start waking yourself and your kids up an hour earlier to adjust to school wake-up times. It is also a good idea to start going to bed an hour earlier as well – and at the same time every night. If you weren’t having breakfast in the mornings, it is a good idea to start now. Figure out who will be taking the kids to school or waiting with them at the bus stop. Now is the time to plan ahead and establish the new daily routine for the next 10 months.
Create a Designated Homework Space
Adults often have a designated office space within their homes, so it is a great idea to create a workspace for your children as well. Creating this designated homework spot will establish a nightly routine that won’t take place while laying in bed or sitting in front of the TV. If possible, set up a desk with a comfortable chair in a quiet area in the house, away from distractions. Feel free to decorate this space in a way that will make your child feel comfortable and ready to work. The area of the house should be somewhere near where parents hang out so they can easily ask for help when needed.
Organize Your Entryway
Organizing your entryway with hooks for jackets and shelving for lunch bags is a great idea. This way on the busy first day of school, everything will be in one place and ready to go. If you have more than 1 child, you may want to try giving each child their own bucket or basket to put all of their things in. This creates an ownership aspect to their things and keeps each child organized. It is also a good idea for parents to have things such as car keys, jackets, purses etc all at the front door and ready to go as well.
Organize School Supplies
Much like organizing your entryway, you will also want to start organizing the school supplies. If your child is reusing supplies from last year, it is a good idea to go through to check if any markers or highlighters have dried up, or pens that have stopped working. Empty bottles of glue, broken pencils, etc. Is there a notebook that has been completely filled and can now be thrown away? It is also a good idea to organize your child’s homework space with all of the supplies they may need in one place in your home as well. Try using bins and boxes to keep like items together. Next, it is time to organize the backpack. Sort out the school supplies and have a designated compartment for each supply. You will want to make sure your child’s name is on the backpack somewhere. Whether this has been written in permanent marker on the bag itself, or a luggage tag has been tied to a zipper. For more great tips on backpack organization, check out this great article!
Do Laundry & Get Clothing Ready
Depending on your laundry schedule, this may be a breeze for you! But, some of us don’t do laundry nearly enough and we don’t want to get caught on the first day of school with our child’s favourite shirt in the laundry bin. Be sure to have the laundry done a few days in advance of the first day of school. If there are uniforms involved, you will also want to get those out and have them cleaned and maybe even pressed or steamed. The night before school, it is a good idea to have your children’s clothing laid out and ready to go so they aren’t looking everywhere for what to wear. The same goes for shoes, make sure their shoes are neatly ready in their designated space in your entryway.
Do Something Fun as a Family
The last tip is to do something fun as a family. Life is about to get very busy for you and your little ones. This is why doing something fun the weekend before school starts is a great idea. This way you can create a fun memory of the last few days of summer together that everyone in the family can continue to think of and remember. A few great ideas for things to do include, going to the family cottage, renting kayaks or canoes, spending a day at the beach or park, going to Calypso Waterpark (this may be very busy depending on when you go), even going for a walk around your neighbourhood is a nice thing to do together! For some more fun ideas, check out our blog post with some great Ottawa adventures!
In conclusion, we hope you were able to find some tips for getting your kiddos ready for their first day back at school. It is a busy time of year for everyone and the first day is hectic enough as-is, so implementing some organization to the day can help immensely.
If you are looking for some great schools in the Ottawa area for your little ones to attend, you will have to check out our article with the top elementary and high schools in the city of Ottawa!
We hope you and your little ones have a great, safe school year! If you are looking for a house closer to one of the top schools, contact us! We are happy to help you find your dream home in a great school district!
