Back-To-School Prep for Both Parents & Kids

Yes, parents need to make sure their kids are prepped for a new school year, but they also need to prep THEMSELVES! Here are some ways to make it a great start to the year for both YOU and your kids 😊

My youngest son A(4) starts school 2 weeks from tomorrow - I can’t believe how soon that is! My older son N(10) and my daughter C(8) are at a different school than A(4), and they don’t start for another 5 weeks. I feel like we’ve just gotten in to the rhythm of summer but now we have to start school prep…

I’ve been thinking about how so much focus is placed on getting our kids ready to go back-to-school, but there is almost no attention given to getting parents ready for back-to-school! So with that in mind I’ve put together a list of ideas for parents to consider for THEIR back-to-school prep before school starts. I, of course, also included a list of ideas for kids for you to keep in mind so that you now have a complete parent and kid back-to-school prep list - I wouldn’t be a true Type A Mom friend if I didn’t include both lists!😊

PARENT FOCUSED BACK-TO-SCHOOL PREP

School Calendar: One thing that has really helped me throughout the entire school year is taking the time before school starts to add all school holidays, early dismissal days, parent/teacher conferences, etc. into our family’s calendar so nothing surprises me during the year. The goal is to have plenty of notice to prepare for these out of the ordinary days so you aren’t scrambling to accommodate for changes to the normal school schedule. My husband and I use a shared family Gmail account calendar that we’ve loaded on to our phones for our family appointments so we both know what’s going on, and this is where I input all the special school dates. For details on setting up a family digital calendar, click here.

Back-To-School Parent’s Only Night: Make a plan for back-to-school night/parent night - these events are usually in the first two weeks of school so it’s not too early to think now about how you’ll attend (get off work early, book a sitter, etc.).

After School Activities: Make a plan for which after school activities you need your kids to attend in order to accommodate your work schedule. If you don’t need them to stay late at school but they want to do activities, then look into extracurricular options now so you have plenty of time to figure out how the logistics will be handled (and if it’s even feasible to do). If you look into after school activities now then it will be easier to make changes to either what activities they do or how they’ll get to and from them before you’re in too deep with the start of school and things get hectic.

School Volunteering: The start of the school year is when schools usually offer sign up opportunities for different parent volunteer positions. Thinking about how/if you want to volunteer at school this year before school starts can both help you get the volunteer position you want and make a decision that you know you can commit to!

• If you decide you want to volunteer this year, and there is a specific position you want to do, consider reaching out to someone (you can call your school’s main office, or the person who held the position last year, or the parents’ association) for information about how to sign up. How to sign up for that specific position will be helpful to know in case it’s an opportunity that a lot of people want - if you know ahead of time what to do then you have a better chance of getting the position!
• If you plan to volunteer but aren’t sure what to sign up for, then think about what volunteer time you actually have available when you are looking at different options. If you volunteered last year, then assess what you did and how it went for you and your family’s life, and with that in mind, look at your calendar for this school year to see your capacity to help at school. Planning what time you can commit to school volunteering before you’re handed different signup sheets in the first days of school will help you make a decision about what to sign up for - you don’t want to find yourself spread too thin throughout the school year and then potentially underdeliver on your promise to help!

School Online Portal/Emails: Make sure you know how to log in to all online school systems and make sure you are signed up for the school’s different email lists (often there are many lists: the school wide list, the parents’ association list, different school committee lists, etc.) so you’ll always get important school information throughout the year. Tip: if you don’t know all the lists for which you can sign up, either ask a parent with older kids or call the school’s front office for details.

First Day Pictures: If you take pictures to commemorate the first day of school then make a plan now for what kind of sign or paper you want your kid to hold and order it/print it (print two just in case!). Doing this ahead of time will make sure that finding and printing this sign won’t be adding more chaos on that first school morning. I’ve found fun ones on Etsy throughout the years. Tip: build in a bit of extra time to take these pictures on the morning of the first day of school so you aren’t stressed when taking them!

Morning Plan: Make a plan for your school day mornings - what time you and the kids all need to wake up, breakfast timing, routine of getting dressed and making lunches, how the kids will get to school or bus stop, etc. Planning ahead of time for how you’d like the mornings to go before you’re actually in the intensity of the morning rush can be very helpful for reducing the stress and time it takes to get ready for school and out the door on time. Also, I’ve observed that my kids like a routine since they can anticipate what’s coming next. Tip: when setting up your family’s morning routine, work backwards from what time you need to be out the door so that you have enough time for each task you need to do in the mornings.

Academic Help: If you know that your child will need extra academic help for the upcoming school year then make that tutoring plan now before tutors and programs get booked. Tip: consider virtual tutoring since that may help with tutor availability any after school scheduling and logistics.

Caregivers: Take the time now to update your caregiver (babysitter, nanny, mother’s helper, etc.) list so that if you need help during the school year, you have options to reach out and won’t be scrambling for caregiving help. Tip: create a list in your phone notes that lists each sitter’s name, number, and hourly rate so you have easy access to all that info.

Parent Friends: Starting a new school year can be hectic and stressful while everyone adjusts to the new year. Something I did last year to help decompress from that was I set up times to see my school parent friends in the first few weeks of school. These nights out and/or coffee dates were a great way to get acclimated back into the school environment, and to recharge and have fun after all this back-to-school prep!

KID FOCUSED BACK-TO-SCHOOL PREP

Kid Clothes: Try on school shoes, clothes/uniforms (if you have them) now and order new ones without worrying about shipping delays. This is also a great time to refresh kid socks and underwear.

Kid Accessories: Check your kids’ backpacks to see if they’re still good for the upcoming year (if they’re not using them for camp then this is a good time to wash them). Check lunchboxes/snack boxes and water bottles. Tip: make sure you have enough lunch containers and water bottles to get you through two days of lunches/snacks/water with all your kids - just in case something gets left at school or you forget to wash them overnight!

Adjusting to School: If you have younger kids (preschool/kindergarten age) you may need to help your kids adjust to the idea of going back to school, even if they’re going back to a familiar place. I’ve found that reading books about school and learning in the week or so leading up to the start of school can help because it gives you a way to talk about school by referencing the books and kids often ask question about the characters’ experience that they’re actually wondering about for themselves. Three books my kids have loved are:

1. Maisy Goes to Preschool: This book is great for going through the schedule of a day at preschool and it includes a nap/rest time.
2. Daniel Tiger’s Daniel Goes To School: I’d often repeat this book’s key phrase “grown-ups come back” at drop off when my kids were really young.
3. The Berenstain Bears Go To School: Sister starts kindergarten in this book so it’s great for your kindergartener.

Haircuts: It’s a good time to get haircuts since your kids’ schedules are more flexible to make those appointments than when the school schedule starts.

Labels: Make sure you have enough labels for clothes and accessories - labels take time to print and ship so it’s best to plan ahead. Mabel’s Labels has been almost indestructible for us, and they’re having a sale right now!

School Forms/Requirements: Each school has different requirements so this is a general list for things to look at to prepare for going back to school.

• Complete all medical forms and doctor/dentist signatures required
• Review any bus or carpool requirements before it gets too close to school starting to make any changes
• Update the school on who is allowed to pick up/drop off your kids aside from parents
• Check the school website for any summer reading requirements so kids can complete them and fill out any forms
• Look at the school supply checklist and order/purchase now before things run out or shipping is delayed
• Look at any Teacher Supply Wish Lists and see what/if you’d like to buy anything and order now before school starts so you can give it to the teacher before/on the first day
• Update emergency contacts with all schools - make sure those people know they are an emergency contact for your kids so they aren’t surprised if they get a call!

Kid Lunches: Decide what you’ll be doing for kid lunches this school year (cafeteria, packing from home, etc.), so you can sign up for the necessary meals plans or add funds to lunch cards if you need to. Tip: if you’re packing lunches from home, find out the allergy restrictions at school so you can start thinking of alternatives.

Kid Sports: If you have fall sports, then buy all fall athletic team training equipment now to avoid the items being sold out or any shipping delays. Tip: don’t forget to check that your kids’ current sports bags can hold all the necessary gear in case you need to get new bags!

Those are the major things that I’m going to be focusing on before school starts in 2 weeks, and then I will double check with this list a few weeks later when my older two start their school to see if I missed anything for them!

I’m hoping that this list gives us all a well-intentioned plan to start the new school year, and since we’ll be prepared ahead of time, that it gives us some time to spare so we can focus on having fun with our kids before school starts!

As always, please let me know any questions you have and how Type A Mom can help you enjoy more time with your family and less time working out the behind-the-scenes logistics of family life😊

❤️, Amanda, your Type A Mom friend