back-to-school planning made SIMPLE

Making the transition from lazy summer days to a structured school day can be tough for many children...and adults! Here are some tips to make it easier on you and your kids.

• start early: I know that it doesn't seem like summer should be over yet (and it's not) but you will thank yourself later for doing a little pre-school planning now. Stock up on basic school supplies and non perishable snaks now to lighten the amout of shopping and spending you have to do later.
• make it a special event: plan a day (or just a few hours) to take each child on a school shopping trip all by themselves. You can get their hair cut, get any specific items he or she will need for that year, shop for new clothes and even get a bite to eat. It will be your time to spend alone with each child and it will be something they can look forward to as well.
• change sleep paterns: waking up early can be tough if your children are used to sleeping until 10:00 every morning. Start a transition period of putting your children to bed a little earlier each night and wakeing them up a little early each day. This transition will help them adjust to their new school schedule and the first day won't be a rush to get everyone out the door.
• meet the teachers: take your children to school and walk the halls. Find their classroom and meet their teacher. These small steps can help even the shyest of children feel more confident about their first days of a new year. You might even want to navigate your way around the school if it is in a new building. Find the closest bathroom, the library, the gym, the cafeteria and the office.
• tutor time: the summer months provide a long break for children to forget much of what they learned in the previous year! Take time now to do simple learning exercise like crosword puzzles, flash cards, spelling quizes, memorization activities and reading. You can make the activities into fun games and have prizes at the end. It doesn't matter what you do, just that you get your children back in the habbit of focusing on school-like activities for a period of time.

No one wants to be scrambling on the first day of school...so start now! All of these ideas will help you jump start your school year and get off on the right foot! Oh, and don't forget to enjoy the last few weeks of summer too!

For more organizing ideas, visit my website at http://www.andreadekker.com/