Shhhh! If you listen closely you can hear the sweet symphony of school bells and the faint sound of parents cheering. It must be back to school time again! Okay, okay. I’m only kidding about the parents chanting. But really how is it already back to school time?!?
I get all the feels every year around this time. I can’t help but reflect on that first day of kindergarten and all the other first days back. Remembering those sweet moments is almost more than my mama heart can bear. But I am quickly snapped back to reality when my tween daughter begins groaning about starting middle school. So ready or not parents, it’s time to dive into the chaotic joyride that is gearing up for back to school!
I’ll share my BEST 2 tips on how to make the transition from summer to school a smooth success.
Tip 1: Gathering School Essentials-Uniforms & Supplies ALWAYS try on last year’s school uniforms because, trust me, you’re going to need new ones. I’m not sure what happens from May to August but it’s as though the summer heat causes school uniforms to shrink one to two sizes. If uniforms have to be ordered, MAKE SURE you allow enough time for them to arrive BEFORE the first day of school. (Please don’t ask why I know the importance of this.)
Each year there are always necessary school supplies needed. I love school supplies and I love scavenger hunts but who decided that these two needed to be combined?!? The endless list of items required can be a little daunting especially when you have to embark upon an epic quest spanning eight stores to secure all 62 items on your child’s School Supplies Scavenger Hunt list. What do they do with all this stuff anyway?!? All I needed was a Trapper Keeper full of notebook paper and some pencils.
Tip 2: Order in the Household It seems like late nights and laidback rules are a requirement of summer. A once orderly household can quickly unravel as kids AND adults enjoy the opportunity to relax and unwind a little more than normal. But before the carefree days of summer are completely over, I highly recommend getting order back in your household.
A week or two BEFORE school starts, begin transitioning back into your normal, structured routines. Be prepared for the dramatic performances your child(ren) will display. There will be so much whining, crying, moaning, groaning, and complaining that you might be tempted to cave on the earlier bedtime.
DO. NOT. GIVE. INTO. THIS. TEMPTATION.
Earlier bedtime is so much easier than waking up earlier. Getting back into your morning routine will require multiple alarms AND a lot of caffeine. It’s a painful process for EVERYONE. But remember, your current sacrifices will produce a (more) enjoyable morning on the first day back to school.
During this joyous transition time you (and everyone else in your household) will be sleep deprived and moody. You WILL need moral support and reassurance from other adults. Reach out to your mom friends, for they too are experiencing similar traumas, I mean troubles. Remind each other that the reward for all this suffering comes on that first back to school morning when the kid(s) are gone and there is total silence in the house.
Written By: Bliss Welch