Back To School

It's that time of year. The summer is winding down and Back To School ads are on the airwaves, in flyers and blog posts. Much like this one! As a person who works in the educational system, I have seen students, teachers and parents who have started to prepare themselves for the start of the school year. Here are some tips, courtesy of Good Morning America, that will save you both time and money as the start of the school year approaches.

Supplies

As mentioned earlier, ads for school supplies are everywhere! Retailers are touting mega sales on school supplies such as paper, pencils, glue, etc.. But which ones will actually save you the most money? Big box stores, online, or a dollar store? As you may have already guessed, the dollar store won out. While not everything on the list was available, the savings could not be argued. Here are a few things to remember. Don't take your kid with you to shop! They are always going to want the bells and whistles. Second, quantity does matter. A box of ten crayons, colored pencils or markers is quite enough. They don't need a box of 100! Trust me, I have seen this for myself. With too many, they feel that they can loan out to friends. Further, they are not as careful because hey, it's a box of 100. There is plenty more where that came from! Lastly try to get the supply list from the teacher or teachers if there is more than one, depending on grade level. While it's great that you want to get a jump on things early, you don't want to get things that your child is not going to need for his or her classes. Why spend money unnecessarily when you don't have to?

Catch the actual shopping comparison here:

Image Courtesy of Good Morning America

To Do Lists

Now while supplies are important, please also remember the other incidentals that sometimes falls through the cracks.

The most important is medical. Check-ups, medications such as epi-pens, inhalers, etc... Make sure any and all medical records are up to date as well as medications that you have to leave with the school nurse. I cannot tell you how many times a child has fallen ill and the nurse does not have access to the child's medication because the parent forgot or waited till the last minute to get the Rx filled. So now the nurse is scrambling and stressed out and and so are the parents. Save yourself time and stress by making sure everything is checked out and accounted for medically.

Bedtimes! Everyone's favorite, right? Start navigating bedtimes now! All summer, no one really had to set an alarm clock, except you working moms and dads. The kids pretty much have slept in all summer. Well, those days are coming to end. Start getting them used to going to bed earlier and getting up earlier. Start now! No really! Start now! You will thank me later.

Does your kid plays sports? If so, make sure you are in touch with the coach or organization and find out about uniform and equipment needs before the start of that particular sports season. No one will be happy if they have to shell out a boat load of money because they found out that the uniform was not supplied by the school or the team. Do your research as early as possible.

Time Savers

My favorite subject. I mean, that is the name of my blog right? Tracey's Time Savers! So let's see. School supplies bought - check! To Do List reviewed - check! Are you ready to tackle that first week back to school yet? Well, ready or not, it's on it's way. So to save some time and a lot of headaches, here are some quick tips to help make the transition as smooth and as stress free as possible.

1. Make a check list. For your kid, not you. If they feel like they are in charge of something, like chores, before bed and morning routines, then it will more likely get done. Make it feel like it is their idea. Make them feel like they are the boss. At least in regards to bushing their teeth! Also, make sure they have a place to do their homework without much distractions. It's tough these days with phones and tablets, but do the best you can.

2. Lay out clothes the night before. Full disclosure: I went to catholic school, so I did not have to worry about what to wear. It was the school uniform. Period! However, though public schools do require uniforms, not all do. Or it is a choice, not mandatory. So if your school is not a uniform one, then pick out the clothes the night before. Believe me, when you are running around the morning, you don't want to have to stop because you can't find the matching pair of socks to match that pair of pants. Or debate with your little bundle of joy because he or she wants to wear one thing and you want them to wear something else.

3. Plan your meals. This is the time of year where a meal planning comes in handy. Freezer meals are a great way to have dinner ready without having to worry about what's for dinner every night. Also, try to prep the school lunch and snacks right after dinner. This way they are ready to go right when you are ready to walk out the door!

Image Courtesy of Good Morning America

I hope that these tips will help you and your family to prepare for the event that is Back To School. May your transition go smoothly, may it be as stress free as possible and may the force be with you!