Getting Your Family Ready for Back to School Time It’s hard to believe that before too long, many students in the United States will be starting back at school. While school start dates vary across the country, the earliest return date tends to be around August 12, with almost all students back in school by the Tuesday after Labor Day. So if you are part of a household with kids heading back to school, it’s time to start those preparations. For kids, it means the end of summer is over. For parents, back to school is often a source of relief as parents look forward to getting kids back into their daily routines. While summers are fun, they also come with a lot of stress for parents who need to arrange extended childcare, buy additional groceries, or take care of other needs that come up when kids are home for the day. Tips to prepare for the new school year Parents can make returning to school much easier on the entire family by getting into some habits now. Here is a list of tips to help make that first day back at school a breeze.

1. About one week before the first day of school, start getting back into the school year bedtime routine. Sleep schedules will inevitably get a bit off during the summertime. And unfortunately, it is not always so easy to get back into the habit of certain bedtimes and wake-up times. Starting one week in advance will help you gradually adjust to where you need to be.
2. Start shopping for school supplies. Most department stores and mega-stores such as WalMart, Target, and big grocery store chains are in full-blown back-to-school mode by this time. And before too much longer, they won’t be replenishing inventory to the same levels once product supply starts to run low. So, now is the time to print out or download that school shopping list and hit the stores.
3. Regardless of whether or not your child attends a public or private school, now is a good time for your student to start trying on their clothes to make sure it all fits. It never fails that kids experience serious growth spurts during the summer. So, be sure to check all school-appropriate clothing for both fall and winter to see if a trip to the clothing store will be needed. Don’t forget to check shoes and socks too. Kids play hard during the summer and tend to wear holes in socks, and it is not uncommon for your children to wear out or grow out of their shoes.
4. Start weening your students off of the electronics. This should include television, video games, mobile device usage, etc. Most schools have “anti-device” policies, which means students can’t bring their electronics items to school. But, this isn’t the only rule that should be put in place. Now is a good time to limit the usage at home too. There have been many studies that have shown that excessive device usage can result in lower academic performance.
5. If your child hasn’t had their annual physical yet, now is a great time to get that physical on the calendar. Use that appointment to update any sports physical paperwork, ensure your student is up to date on all immunizations, and to do a medicine check-in for any prescriptions such as for students with ADHD or those struggling with anxiety or depression.

Get organized In addition to the above, use the time over the next few weeks to get you, your child, and your overall household organized. This might mean setting up a homework station in the home. Or, you may wish to discuss plans for after-school care or “latch-key” type programs so that your child will know what is expected of them after school. Finally, use this time to enjoy the last few days or weeks of summer as a family. Schedule some last-minute fun activities to make sure that your summer was one to remember instead of just a “ho-hum” summer that was no different than the one before it. Activities don’t have to come at a high cost either - the key is to find something unique to do so that you will end the summer with some magical memories.