5 Parent-Friendly Tips to Get Kids Ready For Back-to-School

Summer vacation is drawing to a close. Here at World Academy, that means our fun-filled camps are put on pause until next summer as we anxiously await the return of our teachers and students. For parents, this means one thing: back-to-school preparations. Beyond just shopping for clothes and supplies, there are a few helpful ways to prepare for the school year ahead. Here is a list of five notable things to keep in mind to make that transition back to school just a bit easier.

Skip the brick and mortar

Back-to-school shopping can be a headache. It can also be expensive. With so many online options, you can likely find whatever you would in a brick and mortar without the hassle, long lines, and at a reduced price. Whether for supplies or clothing, here is a comprehensive list of deals at many of the usual back-to-school stores; including Target, Staples, Walmart and more. Of course, if you enjoy the personal time with the kids then brick and mortars are always a viable option. Perhaps if enough people follow this plan of action, you’ll have no lines at all.

Start an early bed time ritual

Summer often results in relaxed bedtime rituals. If the kids don’t have to be up as early, letting them stay up a bit later is no big deal. But correcting that circadian rhythm is essential to preparing for the school year. The first days of school are nerve-wracking for kids and a lack of sleep is not going to help during the adjustment period. Before school actually begins, they might fight the idea of an earlier bedtime.

Figure out the morning commute

No one likes morning madness so this one just makes sense. Measure just how much time it will take to get the kids to school on time. If you’re driving them, use Google Maps to figure out how long that will take -- and don’t forget to account for possible traffic. Traffic during the school year is worse due to more commuters bringing their kids to school and buses going to other schools in the area will undoubtedly add time to the morning commute.

Make an after school pick up schedule

So now that the mornings are covered, it’s time to tackle the afternoon pick up. Often, this is the trickier of the two times. Juggling work schedules with spouses, coordinating carpools, and accounting for various after school activities that will change normal pick-up times should all be considered. If you are a person who likes to have a tangible plan, here is a September calendar in Word format to fill in and print out. Each month after that can be found at the same link.

Gather necessary paperwork

Whether starting at a new school or just registering a child for an athletic team, chances are that proof of medical examination will be required. Do you have all the proper paperwork and records up to date and ready to go? Make sure immunization records are there as well. The last thing you want is to have your child miss one of those first crucial days of school for an unforeseen doctor’s visit!

We hope this list has provided some helpful ideas for that back-to-school planning process. Did we miss anything that you think would help out other parents? Share the wealth below in the comments section! That is what being part of the World Academy community is all about.