It’s natural to feel a bit overwhelmed about all the things you need to do before the kids head back to school but this handy checklist will have you ready for September.
It doesn’t seem that long since we were wondering how we’d ever keep the kids occupied over the long weeks of the summer holidays. Now, all of a sudden, here we are firmly in the grip of back-to-school season. But while the adjustment from summer to September can come as a bit of a shock, there’s no need to stress; just work through this handy checklist of nine things to do before the kids head back to school.
1. Label everything
Yes, I mean everything. (Although not the kids, no matter how tempting that might be on a chaotic school morning when it feels like you could accidentally leave someone behind.) Label every single item of uniform and PE kit and all the accessories that will be accompanying your kids to school, from lunch boxes and water bottles to pencil cases and coats.
No one enjoys this job but there are lots of ways to make it easier. Forget iron-on labels for starters - life is too short - and instead, invest in ordering some personalised name labels that you can stick or stamp on your child’s belongings.
2. Marie Kondo your school kit
We haven’t added ‘complete your shopping’ for back to school supplies to this list because no one forgets to buy new school shoes or to stock up on uniforms ahead of the kids going back to school. But lots of parents might not make time to decide where all the school gear is going to live. And if the kids are never really sure where coats and bags go when they get home or where to find clean school socks in the morning, they’re much less likely to be organised and independent when it comes to getting ready for school. And that means you’ll end up chasing your tail and doing things the kids could actually easily do for themselves.
How to do this? Some parents love those storage suggestions that often go viral at this time of year which involve setting out a full week’s worth of uniforms in drawers labelled for each day of the week. The kids just go to the relevant drawer and help themselves.
Personally, with three kids in the house that’s never been my style. I want my kids to grow up knowing how to organise their clothes and belongings, not expecting everything to always be laid out for them. Plus five full sets of uniform for three humans is a lot, so I’m more of a there’s-another-day’s-wear-in-this or bung-it-in-the-wash-and-leave-it-on-the-airer-for-the-morning kind of mum. Let’s just say my kids know to check the tumble dryer / airer / laundry mountain before asking me where anything is.
Do it your way when it comes to uniform storage but work out your plan before the chaos kicks in. And take time to walk the kids through it so that everyone knows exactly where to find everything they need on busy school mornings - as well as where to put stuff at the end of each day.
3. Don’t rush headlong into term-time schedules without pausing
With so many things to do before the kids head back to school, it’s natural to feel a bit worn out before the first day of school is even over. After all, back-to-school season means a welcome end to the tricky work/childcare juggle that the summer brings for many parents. But this can also mean we rush headlong into hectic term-time schedules without taking a moment to catch our breath.
Instead, take some time to ease yourself gently into Autumn. Book a September spa day with school-gate friends or just take an hour off to read a magazine and relax in a quiet house without endless snack requests. Whatever you do to prepare the kids for going back to school, take time to mark the change in season for yourself, too.
4. Stock up on the stuff that families are forever running out of
A toiletry shortage can turn a perfectly calm school morning into utter chaos. Prevent that with a dedicated stash of spares of everything the family might need on a typical weekday morning. Deodorant, toothpaste, toilet roll, period products - the list will differ from house to house. As well as minimising the stress that comes with running out of essentials at half past eight on a Monday morning, you’ll get the added benefit of your kids thinking you’re a genius for always having supplies of what they need exactly when they need it.
5. Be prepared for periods
Help your child feel period confident before school starts. According to a recent survey, one in three young people do not feel prepared for their first period and one in three parents feel awkward talking to their children about periods, while the top three emotions young people feel when their periods start are scared, embarrassed and confused. Eliminate that by chatting with your child about periods before the back-to-school season gets underway. You could also consider creating a period pack to keep in their bag so they'll have essentials like Always pads whenever they need them.
6. Agree boundaries and back to school bedtime routines
It can come as a shock to kids, after a summer of late nights and lazy mornings, to discover that you’re reverting to stricter evening routines and earlier bedtimes. Take the conflict out of the situation by easing them gently into the new routine and take time to agree on the boundaries when it comes to things like where phones are kept overnight and what time screens must go off.
7. Get your back-to-school transport ready
If you drive the kids to school, give the car a simple back-to-school spring clean so that motor mishaps are less likely to cause delays. If the kids get the bus, get new photos sorted or make sure the kids have a stash of change for the bus in a dedicated wallet. And if they walk to school, set up an all-weather-accessories station somewhere near the front door so you don’t have to play a frantic game of hunt-the-umbrellas-and-wellies at 8.35 am on a rainy Tuesday in October.
8. Embrace the best month of the year with a fresh start
Personally, I think September is an even better ‘fresh start’ vibe than January and I’m here for it. It’s like back-to-school season gives us all a second chance to reset ourselves before the year starts drawing to a close. You’ve got all the new-shoes-and-pencil-case feelings to harness without the pressure of resolutions or the weight of expectation that can feel heavy at the beginning of a new year.
So buy yourself some new shoes and start the new season with a spring in your step. Or get yourself some new stationery - perhaps an academic diary that runs from September - and set your intentions for the school year to come. Even something as simple as buying yourself an autumn mug and setting up a cosy hot drinks corner in the kitchen can help you make the most of September’s clean slate vibe.
9. Think beyond September
Back-to-school season is a favourite with parents for so many reasons - and not just because the juggling act that is the long summer holiday is over. We like the newness of it all, but it also comes with lots of work. So it’s easy to get so absorbed in the name-labelling and school shoe shopping that you forget to think beyond September. And then all too quickly half term will be here and you’ll feel as though you blinked and missed September altogether.
To combat this, get out the school calendar for the year ahead and mark in some time for family fun, from holidays and mini breaks to days out and birthday plans. Don’t put it off until later in the year. Do it now so that everyone has lots to look forward to - and before it’s time to start thinking about how to keep the kids occupied over the summer all over again.
