Its that time of the year again! Luckily for you, you have still have time to do something different (and better this year) for your child.
Buy Back-to-School Materials After Your Child’s First Day
While this may seem strange to some, there is good reasoning behind this tip. Teachers tend to be picky when it comes to school supplies. You might buy 4 spiral notebooks for your child, but they might end up suffering for it when they come back from their first day of school, after being instructed to purchase 4 three ring binders instead. (A believe me, as young kid, It stunk not having the proper materials)
Save yourself unwanted trouble, and just wait until your child meets all of his teachers. Instruct them to write down everything their teacher requires for his/her class. Then go to store and purchase your child’s school materials. Although the lines are always the worst the day after the first day of school, the wait is worth it. Trust me. You would rather stand in a line of hundred people, then have to return all of the “incorrect” school materials you purchased for your child.
Brown-bag or Give Them a Lunch Box
With school lunch prices on the rise and the economy still in the toilet, you can save some money by giving your child a home-lunch. There is nothing wrong with a lunch made from mom, and it actually can be much healthier then those made at most schools. While some schools offer healthy options like salads and low-fat bagels, the majority don’t. Who would you rather have handling your child’s food? A caring nurturing mother (you), or a kitchen worker who usually just reheats processed food and dumps it on your child’s plate? (Nothing against school kitchen staff, but some cafeteria food really is nasty)
Make Sure They Eat Breakfast Before they Leave for School
Another food related tip; this one is rather obvious. Mother’s have been saying for years that “breakfast” is the most important meal of the day. But now they actually have proof. Kids are still growing and developing, so breakfast is vital to their health. Their growing bodies and developing brains rely heavily on the regular intake of food. After sleeping for 8-11 hours, kids are nutrient deprived and in need of energy. When a child skips a meal as important as breakfast, it has a negative impact on them both mentally and physically .
For this reason, it is a good idea to get your kids into the habit of eating the most important meal of the day.
Attend Your Child’s Back-to-School Night
Most schools should have a day set aside for parents, where they can meet all of their children’s teachers. It would be wise to attend such an event, so that you get the chance to meet the people who are teaching your children. You never know who/what type of person is teaching your children. (My 10th grade science teacher was arrested for possession of child pornography and for distributing marijuana to minors)
Most likely you will not encounter the same issue my parents did. But I would recommend that you take a few hours out of your schedule to attend this event just to be on the safe side. (Teachers usually give you some general info on their curriculum as well.)
Buy Them a Locker Shelf/Organizer
Some schools actually don’t allow their students to carry their backpacks with them. (My middle-school was one of them) Instead, student are given designated times at which they can visit their lockers. If your child’s school has such a policy, it is a good idea to purchase them some type of locker organizer. Sometimes the school will sell them but if your school doesn’t, don’t fret. You can always purchase one for about $27 on Amazon . A Locker Organizer will help messy kids stay organized, and will make life easier for your child.