Preparing For Back-To-School Battle

Some parents love this time of year; a time of opportunity to get our kids (and ourselves) off on the right foot for a new school year. Others dread the schedules, commitments and general craziness that back-to-school brings after a summer of downtime. I'll admit that although I'm (mostly) in the first category, I don't look forward to the craziness that the first few weeks of school will bring. I'll try to minimize the chaos this year by "preparing for battle" early with the following things I wish I'd done last year: 

• Organize the homework area: This gets kids off on the right foot while sending a message that you value their efforts in school and deem their performance to be important. Throw away dried up markers, pens that have lost ink and broken crayons. Buy a nice new pencil sharpener and designate an "incoming" and "outgoing" bin for homework. Also, make sure there is a some sort of music source nearby where your child can play soothing classical music while they work- some studies show it aids in learning comprehension and retention.
• Pre-make and freeze breakfasts: Just having to pop a frozen breakfast sandwich or muffin into the microwave will smooth out the morning craziness and ensure that your children start the day with a filling breakfast. Stay away from the breakfasts available in supermarket frozen sections as they are not as healthy as when you make them yourself using whole wheat bagels or English muffins, Omega 3 eggs and a small slice of real cheese (like  cheddar.) Also, here is a great recipe for whole wheat banana-raisin muffins that are filling and delicious. If you make one type of breakfast in bulk per week this seems less daunting and you will have a freezer full of available breakfast choices.
• Get back in the routine: Bedtimes are later and mornings are lazy in the summer. Gradually re-introduce the school year bedtime and morning routines by starting bedtime ten minutes earlier every few days and start waking the kids up at the school-year time.
• Give some thought to the morning "staging area": Create or tweak the area where you set everything up for the next day: backpacks, pocketbooks, shoes (and as it gets colder hats. boots gloves etc.) If the staging area is well thought out it will be a cinch to plan for the next day by keeping everything you need at arms-length while running for the bus or to the car.
• Underestimate your time: Decide how busy you want to be this school year, and then multiply that by four because that's how busy you'll actually be with last minute school assignments, community work and extra hours at the office. So if you think you can handle your child having three extra curricular activities, multiply that times four because that's what it will actually feel like once real life has crept in. Also, resist the urge to sign up for room parent, president of the PTO and organizer of the holiday talent show. As much "fun" as these responsibilities sound, no none likes an over-scheduled martyr parent, least of all your kids. Choose one of those activities and feel secure that someone else will step up for the others.
• Make a family dinner commitment: A family dinner may not happen every night (see the above point), but make a goal to have dinner as a family at least three nights a week. We know this is an important way to help your child's grades and social performance, but selfishly, I love them because they help ME feel closer to my daughter.

As overwhelming as this time of year can feel, a little preparation can help you and your child greet this important time in a positive way.