Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

6 back-to-school tips for your grade schooler

By

Back to school time is extremely exciting for kids and parents. Kids get to see their friends, and parents get to enjoy a hot cup of coffee again. The transition from summer fun to school mode can take a toll on both parents and kids, however.

Whatever your family dynamic looks like, there are some things that you can do the week your children go back to school that can help everyone with the transition. Let’s check out 6 back to school tips for you and your grade-schooler to have an easier first week back.

A mom and child getting ready to go to school.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Create a calendar

It’s so useful to use a calendar or whiteboard to keep everyone’s schedules organized. Whether you want to do it by day or section it out kid by kid, having a calendar will make your life so much easier. Have it set up, have it color-coordinated, and go over everything with your kids. They may forget, they may not remember what was on what day, but they will know it’s updated, accurate, and there.

  • Make it colorful
  • Make it easy to read
  • Go over it with the kids
Recommended Videos

If you have a lot of kids or your own schedule is just as busy, create a separate calendar that they can check. Kids love to know what’s going on.

Related

You’ll also find that everyone is a little less stressed when the week is planned out. Grade school-age kids love routine and knowing what’s going on. Plus, you don’t want to forget a kid somewhere the first week.

Pack the bags early

Make sure you aren’t scrambling the first day or throughout the week to get the school supplies packed up and ready. But let the kids be involved. Give them each their class list and their bag and let them pack it up. You can double-check them, but let them get excited about it.

Don’t do it the morning of or even the night before. You want to have the bags packed up before you think about doing your normal nightly routine. The more involvement, the better. The more prepped you all are, the less crying there will be in the mornings.

Don’t freak out about changes

The first week can either break you or be fun for everyone. Know that things might go wrong, schedules might need to change, or you might go to the wrong side for pickup.

  • Don’t get upset in front of the kids
  • Let them know life is constantly changing
  • Keep it light and fun
  • Have plenty of coffee (or tea)

If you need to drink all of the coffee (or adult drink) after the kids are in bed to deal with the fact that pickup took 30 minutes longer so the school could figure out the new traffic route, so be it. Don’t have a meltdown in front of the kids or they will dread pickup for the rest of the school year.

Kids running to a school bus.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Get plenty of sleep

Really, this should start a few weeks before school starts, but get that sleep schedule down. That first week is going to take a toll on everyone. Extra sleep is going to be key.

  • Mornings will be easier
  • Kids won’t be so cranky after school
  • You’ll feel better, too

This one isn’t just for the kids. That first week of school is rough on parents as well. You won’t feel so frustrated if the drop-off line hasn’t moved in 9 minutes if you’ve had a great night’s sleep. Your kids won’t fall asleep during dinner if they are rested.

Talk it out

Keep the communication open. Talk to your kids about your first week without them. Let them tell you everything about their first week. Even if it was rough (especially if it was rough), let them tell you what happened.

Share your ups and downs from the week. Talk about how you can have just as fun (or better) of a week the next week and the one after. You could even write it out. Let the kids make a list of their favorite things of the week and the things that didn’t go so well so you can figure out how to keep it going (or change it).

A mom and son getting his backpack ready for school.
New Africa / Shutterstock

Celebrate the first day

Do a little treat in the morning and something fun after to celebrate everyone getting through that first day. That first morning back (and the whole week, really) is going to be full of mad rushes, forgetting things, maybe learning a new drop-off/pickup routine, and probably at least one of you having a meltdown.

It doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant. Do a special breakfast or make it themed. After school, you can go for a quick ice cream. Just do something to celebrate the start of school and making it through that first week. You’ll enjoy the win as much as they will.

Maybe your schedule was a little more relaxed over the summer and now you have to tighten it up. Maybe your child doesn’t like mornings, and now the will-you-just-get-up battle that happens every single morning is about to start. Maybe you just want to get through the first week without needing three coffees a day.

Getting you and your children through that first week – without too many bumps – is important for the rest of the year to go smoothly. But if you just keep these tips in mind, you and your kids can have a great first week that will turn into a fun and exciting school year.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Dannielle Beardsley
Dannielle Beardsley
Contributor
Dannielle has written for various websites, online magazines, and blogs. She loves everything celebrity and her favorite…
What is permissive parenting and is it a recipe for disaster?
Is permissive parenting allowing kids to rule?
Permissive parenting checked off on a parenting style checklist

Parenting and parenting styles have evolved over the years, and with it comes much controversy. Everyone has an opinion on the best way to rear children, with many being critical of styles that are opposite of their own choices. ABC's The Parent Test has put parenting styles under a microscope in a new reality show focusing on 12 families with different ways of parenting their children. Critiquing parenting styles is not a new thing, though. American psychologist Diana Baumrind studied parenting styles in the late 60s. Baumrind identified three main parenting styles: permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative. She also studied each one's impact on children.
In the '80s, Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin added a fourth parenting style -- uninvolved or neglectful. What exactly is permissive parenting, and is it right for you? Let's take a look at permissive parenting, as well as the other parenting styles considered the norm.

What is permissive parenting?

Read more
Is middle child syndrome really a thing? We’ll shed some light on this concept
If you have more than two kids, see if middle child syndrome might be lurking in your household
A group of young children at an activity table.

Every child is different, but if you have more than two children, you may find yourself wondering if middle child syndrome is really a thing. There are endless reports and studies about birth order and the various characteristics assigned to those based on where they fall in their family's lineup. While these reports typically characterize the oldest children as responsible leaders and the youngest children as indulged creatives, middle children are often labeled as the forgotten children.

While no parent wants to admit they treat any of their children differently, there does seem to be a lot of evidence to support middle child syndrome. If you have a middle child, you're one yourself, or you're wondering if you should have another child, we have information about middle child syndrome that may help shed light on the situation so you can see for yourself if you think it's true.
Is middle child syndrome really a thing?

Read more
6 signs of cyberbullying in teens to look out for
How to protect your teen from online bullying
Upset teenage girl on cell phone

Most parents of teens are all too familiar with the dangers that come with their kids being on social media. It feels like kids are getting online younger and younger and as a result are being exposed to the world of cyberbullying. The internet is the ultimate double-edged sword for teenagers. Sure, it makes researching book reports a whole lot simpler; it can provide hours of online streaming entertainment, and even opens up opportunities to communicate with friends across the world. On the other hand, the ability to hide behind a computer and converse with someone you do -- or don't -- know without repercussions can result in some rather unpleasant interactions.

Cyberbullying is, unfortunately, a modern reality for our teens. It can take place publicly on social media platforms, via gaming forums, or by direct message. Regardless of the medium, its effects can damage an adolescent's mental and physical well-being -- making it crucial for caregivers to proactively talk to their children about why it happens, how it happens, and what to do if and when it happens. Read on to find out what you need to know about cyberbullying in teens.
Signs of cyberbullying in teens

Read more