It is that time of the year again and back to school preparation is in the full swing among parents right now. Summer holiday flew by quickly and before we know it, school bells will start ringing. As parents, perhaps we have mixed emotions about watching our kids go back to school or for the first time.
Emotions aside for a while, start getting ready now. Most of the preparations focus on school supplies for kids but there are other tasks to check off on the list. Not only for your children but also for parents too. And can you believe how much we have to think about getting those tiny humans ready for school? Better start early preparation now.
For smooth sailing into a new school year, we have gathered a list of things to do before the first day of school based on our experience and advice from other parents. Kick start right now and when everyone else is rushing around in the days right before school starts, you will be relaxing and enjoying those remaining days of August.
This is one of the important things on the list. When I was a kid, my parents used to take me to various doctor’s appointments in early August before the last two weeks of the month. They took me especially to dentist and made sure that my teeth were in a good condition, and if there were any teeth needing to be filled, it got done without any hassle. Usually, dentist offices get busier towards early September. So, take the opportunity right now when the line is not long and get prepared. After school starts, with many different schedules, things will get hectic and irritating.
Make a list of things you and your kid have to do and keep track of them. Check off the list as you go. It is easy to lose track of things when you have to remember important dates. So, write down all the family member’s schedules on a white board that everyone is able to easily see. Being able to see what you already have will help you to see things clearly and reduces the stress of overscheduling yourself and others. For further information on how to keep your family on track, click here.
Children love to prepare for their new school supplies. I will always remember those days when I got new school supplies, and it felt so good. It was like a festival right before the first day of school. Many children roam the city to buy new stationaries, bags, shoes, etc. All this makes a child excited about the upcoming new school year. So, bring your kids shopping for supplies and get everything they need. You might want to label those items you just got, in case they are misplaced or happened to be the same items as other students. If you are not sure where to shop for stationaries, books, arts&crafts, and other school supplies, check out Fuzhou Road.
Go through your home supplies too. Make sure you have everything that your kids need to do their homeworks or other activities.
You can MariKondo here. Bring all your kid’s clothes out of the wardrobe and sort them out before you go shopping. Take some time to go through everything and categorise them. It helps you to not only stay organised but also saves you money when you go shopping.
Make a list of all the items you will need to buy for school and for the fall. Children grow fast, so making sure to check clothes and shoe sizes. Especially, when you have multiple kids, write their sizes and what exactly you need to buy in your notebook. It gets hard to remember who needs what and what size to buy. Also it helps to some extra time when you want to return things. Hit up the Bailian Outlet Mall in Qingpu for back to school shopping.
Calmly explain to your child that those summertime days of reckless eating and playing are officially over. Also, listen to your child’s feelings about their first time going or returning to school before school starts. Mental preparation is important as well.
Mark on your calendar the things you and your child have to do on first week of school. So that parents can resolve conflicts ahead of time.
Kids love to snack during meals. Providing them healthy, nutritious, and wholesome snacks is crucial for their hungry growing minds. Healthy snacks can boost your kids’ concentration which leads to learning new skills whether your kids are in preschool or high school. Sometimes kids will get bored having the same snacks over and over again. So it is crucial to have a variety of healthy snacks. For recipes and inspirations, click here to read further. In addition, check with your kids’ school/teacher, if there are certain food that cannot be brought to school for safety reasons such as allergies.
Early bedtime is as crucial as other routines. Young minds need plenty of rest to learn. Get back into a set bedtime routine now so your child is not up late at night before the first day of school. During summer break, my son goes to bed at 9 p.m., but once school starts he usually goes to bed by 8:30 p.m.. Some people think this timing is way too early, but me and husband have been sticking to this routine for many years. It not only benefits my son, but also as parents, we get ‘Us’ time. Our son’s nighttime routine is pretty simple, shower/bath, brush teeth, and read a bedtime story (such a delight) before he snuggles in his bed.
Learning should not be stopped. Each day spend at least 30 minutes to sit with your child and read together. Choose a book he/she likes to read, not just school materials given by teachers. It helps kids engage with learning and get in the routine of daily homework.
Plus, you probably should discuss after school screen time, and go over the rules. Make sure that your kids understand the rules and stick with them. Sure, there will be some exceptions along the way, but let them know that the rules are not up for debate. Parents may use a screen time setting on their iPad/iPhone or other electronic devices to limit when and how your kids use it. Distinguish between educational and entertainment apps/videos.
Do you have a plan to make one of those adorable first day of school signs for your kids? Then go ahead and do it in advance. Do a test run and see if it meets your expectations. Since you are still preparing it, you have sufficient amount of time to make an adjustment. The first day of school has become such a wonderful time to capture a kid’s growth. Many parents use their kid's first day of school photos to mark how much their children have progressed from year to year. It is an exciting time, so enjoy.
Kids, kids, kids! Without a doubt, our priorities are kids. But have you thought about what you are going to do when the kids are at school? If you are a stay-at-home parent, you need to take care of yourself. Summer holiday might wear you out from vacations, activities, and the insanity of having all the kids at home all day. Take this opportunity to do some self-care.
All the best for the upcoming new school year! Be excited and positive!
沪ICP备15036271号-2
