School is back in session in our neck of the woods on Monday.
Gaaaahhh.
Hold me.
And then, step up out of my way because I’ve got a to do list that’s a mile long.
The ABCs of Back-to-School: 26 Tips & Tricks for an Awesome First Day
Adjust the sleep schedule. The Dudes have been staying up until 10 (okay, fine, 11) since they finished their summer camps earlier this summer. Not gonna work come Monday.
Buy them something special. A cool pencil, a pair of funky shoelaces, dope headphones your friend’s will want to borrow. This year, Dude 1 is getting his hot little hands on a new pair of Sol Republic Tracks headphones. We are huge brand loyalists when it comes to Sol Republic (DudeDad uses them daily & we gave my dad a pair last year for his birthday too!) because they make a quality product. It’s durable (perfect for tough on stuff Dudes), the sound quality is crisp, and they look pretty cool too (they have interchangeable headbands so you can get them in a ton of different colors and designs). Plus, they’re relatively affordable (you can buy them at Kohl’s for like $100). It’s a great gift for your middle, high school, or college bound music loving dude.
SCROLL DOWN TO WIN A PAIR FOR YOURSELF YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOLER!
Cleanse. Before we start our school shopping for the year, we spend an afternoon emptying out the closets and the drawers to see what fits, what gets donated, what needs to be handed down to a younger Dude, and what needs to just be dumped due to blown out knees, untreatable stains, and other wear and tear. I have 10 bags of donations to get to Goodwill sometime next month week, they’re yours today if you come get them.
Discuss procedures. When you’re the mom of a child who suffers from OCD, procedures need discussing, and discussing, and discussing again. But, even if OCD isn’t a part of your life, helping your child know what to expect by familiarizing them with the schedule can be super helpful in easing anxieties and making the transition back into the classroom smoother.
Eliminate bad habits developed this summer. For example, not wearing underwear. The Dudes ditched the restrictive garments the day the school bell rang. Gotta get back into those.
Figure out a good weekly lunch budget for those that buy. The middle schooler doesn’t need a meal, a pretzel, AND a cookie from the cafeteria every day.
Glue. Apparently it’s a big deal at school because our first grader needs 12 of the big sticks. Make sure this and the other school supplies are ready to go. No one wants to be the kid who has to borrow paper and pencils on the first day.
Haircuts. Get them.
Ignore their back-to-school whining. And try not to do too much of your own.
Jump off the year with a positive attitude.
Kiddecals. Because kids at school steal stuff. Okay, not really. That’s just what my children seem to think when they can’t find the new winter gloves I got them or their lunchboxes. They swear their classmates would steal their eyeballs if they weren’t sewn firmly into their sockets. When that logic fails them (because they can’t name a single child they could envision robbing them blind), they resort to witchcraft and wizardry as an explanation (Dude 1 once blamed the Easter Bunny for stealing some of his items, and Dude 2, a leprechaun). We use Kiddecals to label all of their junk. They have plenty of cute styles as well as mature looking ones for almost-13-year-olds who “don’t want no baby labels” on their things but still can’t manage to keep up with them.
Lunch. It doesn’t have to be just bologna sandwiches and Twinkies. You want your child’s midday meal to be energy boosting and healthful. Sushi, tuna sandwiches, and chicken avocado wraps have been a hit here. Also, check out my school lunch ideas pinboard.
Make new electronics usage schedules. Watching Good Luck Charlie in bed every night is just not gonna happen when school starts.
Never underestimate the power of a detailed shopping list. We never leave home without one because I have a memory like a sieve sticking to a budget is important.
Open the lunch box and air it out. Evil things may have grown in there over the summer.
PTA. Sign up for it. Even if you don’t volunteer, the money you donate via your membership can help your school immensely.
Quit lamenting all of the things you didn’t get to this summer. Your bad, it’s over now.
Remind them about their school behavior. The Dudes live like wolves in the summer, time to come back from the wild.
Set goals. Be more organized, read each night before bed, participate in the science fair, those are on our list this year. We find it helps to set some of these before the school year begins and we get caught up in procrastinating about projects everything else that needs doing.
Talk to teachers. This is particularly important for children with special needs, especially if your child doesn’t have a learning plan of any sort in place. For Dude 3, his teacher needs to be aware of certain behaviors (he has an oral tic that can be pervasive, we don’t want her to think he’s just making noise!) and anxieties that don’t necessarily affect his ability to perform academically on a day-to-day basis, but may be an issue in class or in social situations. We like to make his teacher aware of these from day one (or before) to eliminate any discomfort and/or misunderstandings.
Understand that your child may be nervous. It may seem silly that they’re worried about “not knowing any 1st grader stuff” to you, but it’s a legitimate concern for them!
Visit the school. This one is for newbies. You want them to see where they will be spending 6 hours of their day.
Wear appropriate back to school clothing and footwear on your first day. Flip flops are NOT appropriate clothing. Pants are required. Masks, not cool.
X. Come on, no words start with X.
Zip up those jackets and have a good day. Although, their aren’t many places where you will really need a jacket on the first day, you get the point.
Disclosure: We have received complimentary products from some of the retailers listed. All opinions are our own.
Giveaway Restriction: Please note, if you have won a giveaway from Sol Republic in the past 12 months, you are ineligible to win this prize.
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