Are you concerned about how you will get yourself and your child ready for back-to-school time? Are you looking for more than just a few tips on how to get started?

Benestar's parenting expert, Dr Rosina McAlpine, has developed a 7-day Back-to-School Guide to help inspire you to get into action and take the worry away!

7-day Back-to-School Guide for Parents

Firstly, make sure you have a notebook ready to keep everything together and make notes as you go. This way, there will be no more lost lists, numbers or bits of paper everywhere! 
Secondly, why not make the most of your time with the children before they are back to school with little fun activities you can do together like a walk in nature, watching a movie at home with popcorn or a games night. These are the memories that last a lifetime!

OK, are you ready? Let's go!

Day 1: Uniforms, Shoes and School supplies

If you already have school and sports uniforms as well as shoes from last year, get your child to try them on to make sure they still fit. If you're lucky enough to find that they still fit, get everything ready with a wash, iron and polish, and you're done. If not, make a list of the purchases and alterations you need. Make sure you give yourself enough lead time for uniforms to be bought, made or altered for length.

Ask your child to help you collect all the school supplies they have in one place. Throw away old or no longer working items and make a list of all the things you need to replace, including; school bags, note pads, pens, erasers, etc. To save money, take advantage of the back-to-school sales. Then, take your list when you shop to avoid buying the things you 'don't need, which supports the planet and saves you money and time!

Day 2: Contacts, Calendars and Routines

Create a contact list including your phone number and address, emergency numbers, doctor's numbers and a backup contact number for when you can't be reached. Place these numbers on the fridge at home in clear view, provide them to your child's school, in your child's school bag, and help your child memorise your contact number and home address.

Purchase a large calendar where you can write appointments and events and place it in a location where it is easy to view and update. Enter in as many dates as you can at this stage and help your child learn about using a calendar by referring to it every day and updating it together. This is a great life skill you can help your child develop!

Then review your routines for the morning, after school and before bed and ensure you explain these to your child. For example, the morning routine could include collecting their lunch from the fridge and putting it in their school bag. An after-school routine could be changing out of school clothes, having an afternoon snack, doing homework, playing, and washing hands before dinner. 

The Before Bed routine could include preparing uniforms, shoes, socks, packing their school bag with books, homework, sports clothes, etc. You can enable your children to do this themselves by having a checklist for them to tick off every night. Then, practise these routines before school starts until they are running smoothly, ready for their first day back!

Day 3: Homework and Sleeping

Prepare a dedicated area for your child to study and complete their homework after school. Ideally, this is a quiet space with no access to the internet or television. They are not watching TV, updating Facebook, or looking at YouTube videos when they should be finishing their homework! By involving your child in the design, they feel part of the process, making it more inviting. 

Both you and your child need to be well-rested to be productive and happy throughout the day. So now is the time to agree on bedtimes and waking times, put them down on paper, and stick to them.

Day 4: Back-to-School Nerves and Friendships

Talking about the upcoming school year and the changes your child might experience can help reduce some of their back-to-school anxiety. For example, as your children questions like: "How do you feel about going back to school?". "Is there anything worrying you?" Explain that the door is always open to having a chat about anything that is worrying them or they need some help with. 

You can also motivate and inspire your child's enthusiasm for school by discussing the exciting new classes, activities and events they can participate in during the year. Remind your children about how they will get to spend time with their friends and maybe even make some new friends. Studies suggest that approximately 75% of your 'child's time at school is spent in social interactions, so the quality of their friendships has a significant impact on their success at school. 

While you 'can't pick your 'child's friends, you can provide valuable knowledge that will help them select wisely. The idea of just one best friend forever can lead to disappointment and unhappiness as conflict and change are often inevitable. Encouraging your child to seek out a wider circle of friends reduces the likelihood of isolation when disagreements arise. Encouraging your child to be friends with a broad range of peers, some of whom may not share their interests, holds many advantages.

Day 5: Troubleshooting and Transportation

Do you still remember your days at school and some of the difficulties you may have faced? Imagine if you had the opportunity to discuss these with your parents beforehand and were given a chance to develop and practice coping strategies. For example, take the time to sit down with your child and talk about bullying, accidents, drugs and alcohol, strangers and peer pressure. Your child is more likely to cope better if they discuss a situation and practice strategies before these occur.

Plan how your child will get to and from school and then organise the carpool, bus tickets, walking route, drop-off locations and pick-ups. Explain the transport plan to your child in detail, and then have a few practice runs so you both feel safe and confident.

Day 6: Meeting the Teachers and Setting Good Examples

As you get closer to the back-to-school date, organise a tour of the school with your child and meet their teachers. Meeting the teacher can reduce your 'child's back-to-school nerves. Opening the lines of communication and building a friendly relationship with your 'child's teacher will support your child in many ways!

The fact is that children learn more from what their parents do than what they say. In life, we can set a great example by striving to be the kind of person 'you'd like your child to become. You 'can't expect them to be organised, tidy and thoughtful if you 'don't display those characteristics yourself at home.

Day 7: Create a Small Surprise for your Child.… Then do Something for Yourself

Prepare a little surprise like a personal note or a photograph and place it in your 'child's bag for them to find at some time during their first day … it will show them that you care and think about them, reassure your child they are loved and inspire a big smile!

After all, that's done, it's time for a well-earned break and a catch-up with your friends. Remember that a tired, stressed-out parent is no fun for anyone – and happy parents make a happy household. So don't forget to take care of yourself and the family!

You're now ready to start a new school year organised and confident! Remember, your efforts will not only make the transition back to school easier, but it will also help your child develop the key life skills they need to lead a happy and successful life.