Back-to-School and On-the-Go

Moms Navigate the Push Toward the New School Year
With summer winding down and the back-to-school countdown under way, we Moms know that our organizational skills will be in demand over the coming weeks. Not only will we begin to transition kids from summer to school mode and address emotional issues involved with new teachers and different classroom environments, but we also need to focus on a whole host of practical tasks – ranging from buying supplies to keeping kids healthy – necessary to get our kids back to the classroom. I’ve listed my favorite tips and strategies here:

1. Establish Mission Control: Key school dates – ranging from curriculum night to school picture day to the health form deadline – come fast and furious, particularly during the hectic first few weeks back at school. Start the year off right by plugging these dates into a centrally located calendar so nothing falls off the schedule.
2. Stamp Out the Paper Chase: To avoid stacks of paper piling up all over the house – or a frantic morning search for a missing permission slip – create a file for each child at the start of the year that includes key paperwork such as health forms, school calendars, sports schedules, and more.
3. Stay Healthy Lunch Box Strategies: Kids love bite-sized snacks designed for on-the run eating, but more often than not they eat these foods – ranging from grapes to cheese sticks to sandwiches – with their fingers, rarely washing their hands before diving in. Stock up on single packs of Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hand Wipes and keep them by your lunchbox supplies, so you can include them with kids’ lunches each day. And for an extra “Mom” touch, write a little note on the Wet Ones Wipes packaging, wishing your child a great first day of school or good luck on his first spelling test.
4. Streamline the Supply Hunt: Keeping track of multiple supply lists for multiple kids can tax even the most organized of Moms. This year, consider a high-tech approach and check out Teacherlists.com – a website that allows teachers to share their classroom supply lists and parents to access it all year long – even while on the go.
5. Stemming the Back-to-School Shopping Spree: Between cool sneakers, hip clothes, and fun backpacks, kids can easily turn a back-to-school shopping trip into a major clothes-and-accessories expedition. Before heading out the door, set buying parameters with each child so you can manage expectations and prevent in-store meltdowns.

Disclosure: Wet Ones® brand is a client of Mom Central Consulting, and Stacy DeBroff is serving as a Wet Ones® brand spokesperson. Wet Ones is a registered trademark of Playtex Products, LLC.