Organisation key to smooth return
Back to school time requires organisation to get yourself and the family structured for a successful school year. Getting organised does not necessarily guarantee academic success and family harmony but it certainly helps towards achieving these desired results. A smooth, new year back-to-school transition sets the stage for the rest of the school year, so the systems that are put in place during the back to school period are critical. Back to school shopping One piece of the back to school puzzle is shopping for school supplies while they are readily available and on sale. In order to save money, think long term: Choose high-quality items for dur- able goods, such as water bottles, backpacks and lunchboxes, so they can be used for several years. It is sensible to spend less on the things that have a shorter life span and will be used up.
School clothes or school uniforms are another item on the shopping list. Don’t leave purchasing until the last minute. The earlier you take care of this, the less stressful it will be for yourself and your child. Organise Teachers use organisation systems in school. There’s a place for book bags, a time to copy homework assignments, a folder to bring home notices, a regular day for spelling tests, and so on. But when children get home they may forget how to organise themselves. It is important to set an organised programme to set the tone to help keep them organised all year. Establish routines Routines make unpleasant things, such as homework, easier. Immediately the children return to school, set the stage for a homework routine by instituting a regular place and time for homework. Schedule time carefully During the first weeks a family’s schedule can balloon out of control as your children sign up for extracurricular activities. When this happens early in the school year, it can be difficult to pull back later. Carefully consider each child’s activity and commitment that goes on the calendar. You may be able to take a break from work to shuttle kids to sports or clubs during a slow period of work but be careful to consider what happens later in the year if you have a busy season or added job responsibilities. Schedule time commitments and activities carefully.