Things have looked quite a bit different over the past couple of school years. From online distant learning to a hybrid version of in class and online, as well as full day in class, parents all of the world had to make some major adjustments to their daily schedules and routines. For the 2021/2022 school year many districts will be reopening their schools to begin the new 'normal' of in person education. From sanitizers, social distancing, and mask wearing things will look a bit different at each site but all with the safety of the staff, students, and family in mind.
So as we get prepared to return to school, here are some tips and money saving ideas for students and their families that will help to make an easier transition from the summer time fun to heading back to school.
1. Routine Get the kids back into a school nights routine prior to the first day of school.
- Bedtime: establish an age appropriate bedtime that allows your child to be well rested and stick to it. Weekends might look a little different from school nights but try not to overdo it. Maybe allow an additional hour to stay up on the weekend.
- No Screen Time: turn off all devices (phones, tablets, tv's, etc) at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. Use the end of the day to do some relaxing or calm activities so their bodies can wind down. Maybe play a quick game of Candyland or continue working on the 1000 piece puzzle. Don't forget the bedtime stories. Reading every night with your child will not only help build fluency but will allow you to spend a little bit of quality time with your child before they settle down for the night. If you know your child is not getting enough sleep each night due to texting, social media, watching TV at night... the simple solution is take that stuff out of their hands/room. Establish boundaries when giving them such items.
- Get your clothes and backpack ready for the next day. How often do you hear, "I don't have anything to wear? I can't find my shoes!" Guess what, all these morning headaches and school morning rushes can easily go away. Set a time each evening to have your child/ren set out their clothes, including kids who wear uniforms, and backpack for the next day (maybe before or after they shower). All clothing (shirt, pants, jacket, underwear, socks, shoes, etc.) that they will be wearing the next day needs to be set out and ready to go. This way, when they wake up in the morning, they can make their bed and change BEFORE exiting their bedroom. Have them put all homework and needed school papers/supplies back into their backpack and place near the door. This way your not scrambling in the morning trying to find the library book that is due today.
- Lunches and Snacks. If your child takes his or her own lunch, pack it the night before. Anything that does not need to be refrigerated can go into their lunch bags and the rest should be placed together in the refrigerator ready to grab and place into their lunch bag in the morning. Fill up their water bottles before going to bed.
- Baths, brushing teeth, pajamas: set a schedule for your child to complete these daily nighttime activities. If your child's bedtime is at 8pm, have your child get into the shower at 7pm. Once they are finished bathing and brushing teeth, use the remaining time for calming activities. If you have multiple children, set a schedule for showers. (Example, 3 children with an 8pm bedtime. Child 1: bath time at 6pm, child 2: 6:30pm, child 3: 7pm. You have 2 showers: 2 children can bathe at 6:30 and the third at 7pm. Do what works best for your family.) This way all children will be ready for bed by 7:30pm but still have time to spend time as a family before they go to sleep.
- Alarm Clock. Be sure they turn on the alarm clock before going to bed. Whether your child has an alarm clock or you're it, they need to wake up with enough time to get ready, eat, and head out the door. If there is a lot of 'snoozing' going on, try adjusting their bed time so they can get more sleep. For the procrastinators of the group, maybe set an additional alarm, on your phone, 5 to 10 minutes before they must get into the car or before the bus arrives so they know it's time to speed up.
2. Backpacks
- Take a look at your child's backpack from the previous year. Is it still in good condition and an appropriate size for your child? Yes. Then there is no need to purchase a new one. No. You can find many inexpensive backpacks as well as receive a free backpack from various local organizations. Check out the events calendar to see where a 🎒 backpack giveaway is happening near you. (July 17, 29, 31).
2. School Supplies
- Most schools will provide all of the basic school supplies your child will need. You most likely do not need to spend money on the basics such as pencils, paper, or crayons. If your child's school does not send out a school supply list prior to school starting, you can always wait to see what they may need after the first day of school.
- Tip: when shopping, keep in mind, a plain pencil box or pouch will do the same job as the more expensive one with cute pictures and cartoon characters. You can get inexpensive stickers and have your child decorate it if you'd like. Dollar stores have lots of stickers, printed pencils, planners, folders, and more. Look around your house first to see what supplies you already have before purchasing more. Don't break the bank trying to purchase the trendy items that you child 'has to have'. Save the money for a special treat around town.
3. Health and Safety
- A small hand sanitizer bottle or sanitizing hand wipes to keep in their backpack. (*Check with your school site first because not all schools will allow personal hand sanitizers.)
- A face mask. Wearing face masks at school is mandatory in some districts and optional in others. If your child's school requires the wearing of a face mask, place an extra one in their backpack especially for the younger students. I have seen young kids walking around with a wet mask from saliva, eww gross. So help out your child by putting an extra mask in their backpack in case they need to switch it out during the school day. If it is optional to wear a face mask at your school, still have your child put a mask into their backpack. Pre-Covid and I'm sure post-Covid there will always be the students who show up to school sick. You can always let your child know to put on their face mask if their classmate shows up coughing, sneezing, or with a runny nose.
- Tissue. Give your child a small pack of tissue especially if they have allergies. This will help limit the amount of time they need to get up to go grab a tissue from the back of the room.
- Water bottle. Students seem to always get thirsty in class. Send your child to school with water daily. Not only will this help them stay hydrated but it will keep them inside the classroom learning. (Do not place inside of the backpack. Use the pouches on the side or have them hold it. This will help eliminate and accidental spills that can ruin school books and work.)
- For the little ones - a change of clothes. If you know your child has potty accidents send a change of clothes with them. The school will still typically notify you, incase you want to take your child home to bathe, but at least this way your child does not have to sit in wet or soiled clothes until you arrive.
- UPDATED emergency phone numbers!!! I have seen so many students waiting hours in the office while the secretary attempts all numbers on an emergency list to no success. If your work place does not allow the use of phones during your shift or you work far from the school, write that on emergency form. Give your direct line to your work place as well. Do Not put grandma and grandpa who live an hour away as an emergency contact. Emergency contacts need to be someone who can get to the school quickly, not sit in traffic and arrive 2 hours later. Talk to neighbors or parents of classmates whom you trust and ask them if you can use them as an emergency contact.
4. Breakfast, Snack, and Lunch
- Feed your child a well balanced breakfast when they wake up in the morning. Children should start the day off energized and ready to learn, not listening to their stomachs growl until lunch time. Many schools provide breakfast to students before school begins. Find out what time your school will be serving breakfast and get them there with enough time to eat.
- Snack. You know your child more than anyone. If your child typically has a snack or is getting hungry a couple hours after breakfast, send them with a healthy snack to eat at recess/break time. (Remind them if they take their own lunch, do not eat it during recess. Tell them to choose on items during recess if needed and save to rest for lunch time. They will have a longer stretch of time until they get home for dinner, so again, let's not have their stomach grumbling for the last hour of school.)
- Lunch. Depending on the school or district, lunch is provided for students free of charge or for a minimal fee. You can always check the lunch menu prior to sending your child to school. If you know your child will eat all items provided, great. However, maybe when you look at Thursdays lunch menu, you know your child does not like that options for that day. This will be the time for you to pre-pack a lunch for your child to take to school so they don't go hungry.
- Remind your child not to share their food with others. All children are different and some may have allergies unknown to each other. Help keep all kids safe
5. Keep Track of your Child's Progress starting on the First Day of School.
- Do not wait until parent conferences to find out how your child is doing. Find time weekly, if not daily, to help your child with homework even if they say they don't need it. This will allow you to see if they can truly complete grade level material independently. If you see your child is struggling with a concept, reach out to the teacher, a parent with kids in the same grade, or search online for additional ways to help support your child with that standard. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help. Seeking help for your child will help them academically and support them in a stronger educational future. Remember, standards change as the school year progresses. So even if your child is understanding all concepts and standards in August and September, this doesn't mean they will continue to grasp all new concepts in December, which is why it is very important for parents to stay academically involved in their child's education ALL year. (Keep in mind, Back to School Night is Not a time to ask for additional support for your child. The teacher is just getting to know the students and will be focusing on the students and class as a whole, not individually. Instead, make an appointment with your child's teacher.)
- Find out if your school/child's teacher posts grades and/or progress regularly online. If so, bookmark the link on your phone, tablet, laptop, etc. This is another way for you to stay on top of your child's progress. Does your child tell you often that they don't have homework? Does your child ever bring home graded work or test scores for you to look at? Does your child ever give you assignments to sign and return? Don't wait until the first progress report to find out your child is failing due to incomplete and missing assignments as well as low test scores. Check their progress regularly online or message the teacher is you haven't seen any work come home in weeks. Due to the number of students, teachers do not always have the time to let you know when homework or classwork assignments are not being turned in. So be proactive and stay on top of your child's progress.
- Progress Reports and Report Cards. Progress reports might be handed out during parent teacher conferences or mailed to your home. (Make sure to update your current address if needed.) If you do not receive one in late fall/early winter contact your child's teacher. Report cards may be handed to your child to take home or mailed to your home. Check with your child's teacher to find out an estimated arrival date and be sure to keep an eye out for it.
- Parent Teacher Conferences. Be prepared to ask questions. Whether your child if getting perfect grades or struggling, this is your time to ask as many questions as you want to help challenge your child a little more at their level. Don't be afraid to ask how you can support your child academically at home. Maybe their grades are not a concern, but their behavior is. Ask the teacher what they have been doing at school to help promote more positive behavior and share what you have been doing at home and work out a plan together so your child knows that you and their teacher are a team.
- Does your child need a little bit of extra academic support. Go to Globally Exclusive to see all the ways in which they can help.
6. Save the Date! Print out or mark your calendars with important dates happening at your child's school. Your child may only update you when they have a day off. They might 'forget' to give you the notes about Back to School Night, Open House, Parent Conferences, Finals, etc. Keep in contact with your school site for other activities or events that may be happening throughout the year.
- Fontana Unified School District School year calendar
- Rialto Unified School District School year calendar
- Colton Joint Unified School District (Bloomington, CA) School year calendar
For more back to school tips and ideas to make learning fun, check out the following articles.
Elementary and up Writing is Fun
Elementary and up ➕ Math Magic: A Counting Trick to Have Your Kids Adding in No Time
Middle School 7 Tips to Prepare Your Child for Middle School
College Dorm Life A Toilet Plunger? Yep. Dorm Must-Haves You May Not Have Thought About
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