Here we are, just about mid-August and on the brink of yet another busy school year.  This year 3 out of my 4 kiddos will head to school – one 4th grader, a 3rd grader, and a preschooler.  Every year I feel the stress of getting all my ducks in a row when it comes to back-to-school time.  There’s the shopping for school uniforms madness, school lunch planning, organizing a homework station, all of our back to school traditions, and so much more.   It’s exhausting just thinking about it.  But, over the past few years I’ve come up with a few great tips that will help keep the focus of this very important {and stressful} time on helping our children be successful.

1.  Communicate with your kids’ teachers.  Work with them to help find out how your kids learn and then follow their recommended strategies for helping your kids thrive.  I try and always stay in contact with my kids’ teachers and learn information from them about how to best help my kids at home.

2.  Stay involved with the school.  Don’t overlook how important this is, even for middle and high schools.  Even if you’re a work-outside-the-home parent, look for ways to stay involved.  Many schools offer recess or lunchroom duty in addition to workroom and library volunteer opportunities.  Many of these can be worked around a work schedule.  It’s important for kids to see that we as parents take pride in their schools so they can too.

3.  Be well-rested – every day.  In our home we have a strict “no-device” policy during the school week Monday through Thursday.  With homework, sports practices, dinner, piano lessons & practicing, etc., the hubs and I feel like that there’s little time for video games or tv during the week.  Our kids tell us that we’re the ONLY parents in the world who do this, but I know otherwise! Even if we didn’t have this rule, it makes sense to at least have a firm time in which kids are expected to turn off their iPods and video game consoles.  It’s also just as important for we moms {or dads} to be well-rested.  I like to wake up and hit the ground running each morning before my kids do so that I can be fully awake and ready to send them off.  And I know that this calls for some decent sleep if I’m going to accomplish it!

4.  Get a good start with breakfast.  We all know how much more focused and attentive kids are if they aren’t distracted by a growling tummy.  Making sure kids eat a decent breakfast before they head out the door in the morning is a must-do in our home.  I try to also infuse breakfast with some type of protein, whether it’s milk, eggs, or even peanut butter.  And on days where school testing is being done I try to wake up extra early and fix a bigger breakfast for them.  Just find what works for you.  One of our favorite ways to infuse protein is with a Carnation Breakfast Essentials drink.  This is great for my kids because they love the taste and I love that each drink has the same amount of protein as an egg.  

5.  Stay organized and up to date with school papers.  At the start of every year I buy containers like these – one for each of my boys – and then label their name and school year on the outside.  Then, each day that they come home with work or stay home papers, I date each one and toss it inside the storage bin.  I find that this way I get to hold onto just about all of their papers, yet they aren’t scattered around the house everywhere.  I did a post about this a while back which you can find here.  Believe it or not, my kids have been known to ask me for things like “Mom, whatever happened to that apple drawing project I did in Kindergarten?”  It’s nice for me to know exactly where to go to find it and I don’t have to break their hearts telling them I threw it away.

6.  Be your child’s greatest advocate.  Teachers are busy peeps and no doubt they’ve got a full plate most of the time.  It’s important to be aware of your kids and what they need and to communicate that with your child’s teachers and/or administrators.  Part of advocating for your child is being aware of what they’re bringing home and what their school’s expectations are for them.  Be open to discussing issues or seeking clarification from their teachers and getting help for your children when they might need it.

7.  Document their school year.  This is so important to me, I can’t even tell you!  I always take plenty of photos throughout the school year and keep notes, awards, certificates, and special items from their school year as a memento to pass down to them later.  Sure, they may not care in a few years if I do have them or not, but just in case, I want to be prepared.  And if there’s a field trip or school function I can’t attend, I almost always ask a friend to take a photo in my absence and email it to me, as I am always happy to do the same for any parents of my kids’ classmates.  Each school year goes so quickly and documenting this special time for them is something I think the kids will appreciate and look back on fondly.

What tips do you have for ensuring back-to-school success for your kids?  Let me know in the comments below.  I’d love to hear them!