SpMoms Readers Share Back to School Tips

by Lisa on August 4th, 2020 at 3:03 PM

We asked SpringfieldMoms readers for their best back to school tips. Thanks to all who contributed their advice!

Tips for Kids

“Remind kids to be nice to everyone in their class.” – Ashley B.

“Go to bed 20 minutes before bedtime to get in some reading each night. Very important.” – Julie R.

“Stick to a schedule! Same bedtime routine and time and same morning routine on time. When children and parents both know and understand the expectations, things go smoother!” – Brittani C.

“Get into a good sleep schedule a week ahead of school starting.” – Chelsea W.

Tips for Parents

“Stop saying Hurry up, Hurry up, you are going to be late. Give them more time to get ready, without yelling.” – Reina S.

“Always kiss and hug your children goodbye and welcome them with open arms NO MATTER what else may be going on in life !!” – Britney L.

“We work hard to fill the summer with loads of fun things, and transitioning back isn’t always the easiest. No one wants to hear that summer ends! The one thing we keep up is reading- my daughter reads something for about 20 min every day. There are a ton of fun kid magazines out there…and those count too! I also try to get a workbook and have her do the work in there about 2 weeks before school starts, filled with spelling, reading comprehension, math, some science, etc. that are tailored to your child’s age/grade. It’s a little fun to play school at home from time to time. Once we are in the full blown school year, then routine is always key. Our daughter has sports activities often, so establishing that routine early is so important.” – Buffy L.

“Fill their lil heads with encouragement & lots & lots of hugs. A confident kid does well in new situations.” – Erin M.

“Be aware of children at bus stops, school zones, and the ones walking to and from school. Slow down and stay off your cell phone.” – Michelle B.

“Parents, always ask your child/ren how their day went when they come from school. It is very important to allow them to de-stress from their day. My two always tell me everything that happened and sometimes it’s boring to me but it’s exciting or them.” – Deidra J.

“Pack an after school snack for students who have practice, it is a long day and they get hungry!” – Leila L.

“Send your husband to do the school supply shopping. Mine volunteered this year, and I found out while dads don’t exactly win at squeezing every penny out of the supply budget, they get everything bought in one shopping trip.” – Kerri S.

“Don’t forget to take a back-to-school photo on the 1st day. I forgot one year, and had to act like the 2nd day was really the first.” – Allison G.

“Take care of YOURSELF first. The tantrums and tears will be easier to manage when you have taken the time to prepare your heart and mind for the coming days. We know what it’s like to go back to school as a kid. Patience and preparation are your best friend.” – Jiujiteira B.

“Provide lots of encouragement throughout the entire year!” – Mindy G.

“Ask the teacher what extra supplies they would like to have donated instead of donating whatever the school puts on the list as possible donations. The teacher knows better what supplies he/she will actually need more of throughout the school year based on their past experience.” – Lisa D.

“Set a day aside once a month to pre-make freezer meals and freezer snacks to save yourself time and money from buying pre packaged foods.” – Sarah C.

“Put together their lunch as much as you can the night before, try not to rush them in the morning, as an adult you know what too demanding deadlines can do to your entire day!!” – Brandi L.

“Send them notes in lunches. They love it.” – Asher M.

“If you have a kindergartener, put a small family picture in their backpack to provide comfort through the day.” – Jessica B.

“I pray for them and WITH them over their school year.” – Christy S.

“Make sure they have a good breakfast!! This can make or break their day! In all the hustle and bustle breakfast sometimes gets overlooked.” – Jodi G.

“Communicate with teachers the best you can so things at home are done like school so no confusions.” – Kim W.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff…. Things happen unexpectedly no matter how much prep you have done. Try to slow down and breath when things don’t go as planned.” – Ashlely B.

“Make sure the coffee pot is programmed to turn on before waking up.” – Kathrine W.

“Thanks to my ‘always better to recycle’ mindset, I only spent $25 for 2 back to schoolers!! Always buy plastic folders, & notebooks. They come clean with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, & you can tear out the used pages. Re-use scissors, rulers, calculators, markers, headphones, & even quality backpacks, & lunch bags.” – Becky W.

Organizing Your Home and Family

“Buy lots of masks. Put extra masks at the bottom of your child’s backpack, just in case.” – Lisa P.

“We have a designated area with healthy snacks so they can choose what they want to take for snack on their own.” Sarah T.

“You sometimes have to let the kids figure things out and settle it on their own.” – Elizabeth A.”

“Remember not to panic!! I try to stay overly organized at the beginning of the year. The level of neatness tends to degrade over time, so we spend time at the middle of the year to get everything back in order. Both my son and I can be forgetful and keeping things organized is truly necessary.” – Shyleen S.

“We homeschool, so my back to school tip is to have the kids’ lessons and schedules printed and ready for them each week. That way they know what they need to complete each week!” – Shanna G.

“Get them up in time to eat and get ready in a relaxing environment to help prevent anxiety!” – Kristen M.

“Get a basket with dividers to divide ALL of those papers that get sent home and go thru them at the end of the week and keep those good ones in a tote for when they get older.” – Danielle M.

“Check cafeteria menus at the beginning of the week and plan lunches accordingly. I know my kids won’t eat some of the items, and planning ahead to pack lunches those days saves me stress!” – Ronda S

“As soon as our child arrives home, we check backpack and discuss/review anything that’s needed. This gets tucked right back into bag (homework, permission slips, book orders, etc), so it’s less likely to be overlooked or forgotten!” – Jessena W.

“Make up a calendar for the fridge to show what’s going to happen that day. Pick up schedule and after school activities.” – Marie Z.

“Talk about the upcoming week’s schedule the Sunday night before to help a young child know what to expect that week. Also this can be a good time to continue to talk about what they are learning.” – Tracy S.

“Set a time for completing homework. We complete right after school and snack then the kids have the remainder of the evening as free time!” – Julie S.

“Make sure all of your child’s belongings are marked clearly with their names. You know they will forget something somewhere.” – Stefanie H.

“Have everything ready to go and set out the night before.” – Megan L.

“Get snack bags full of lunch items Sunday afternoon to pick and choose from so packing lunches is easy peasy.” – Kimberly G.

” I do a lot of cooking on the weekend so things go more smoothly during the week! Meat for tacos, spaghetti, baked oatmeal, egg muffin etc.” – Shauna J.

“I give my children 3 expectations I have for them throughout the year. I ask they give me 3 they have for themselves and commit to focusing on those.” – Tryta S.

“Set up a healthy snack cabinet for the perfect after school snacks!” – Danielle W.

“Pick a central location to keep book bags, shoes and coats so they are easy to find each morning.” – Alison M.

“Make breakfast an easy to grab on the way out the door item!” – Lacey B.

“Lay out outfits the night before.” – Amy D.