This is a post from Jennifer Lavallee of A Heart for the Home
It’s that time again! Summer is slowing down, vacations are ending and we all start seeing the “Back to School” flyers and commercials.
Whether you home school or your children attend a public or private school, there are a few things we can do to prepare for a great school year.
For me personally, I LOVE the beginning of school! It’s just the newness of the school year, the fresh pencils, and the new notebooks that just gets me excited. How about you?
Here is a recipe for any size family as you plan your “Back to School” routine:
- Add prayer. I know prayer sometimes is overlooked but it truly is important in many ways. We need to seek God’s guidance as we plan out our curriculum, our activities, what groups we are going to join, what sports our children will sign up for etc. We need to keep God as our source of guidance and wisdom as we prepare to train and educate our children.
- Stir in plans. Take a couple of weeks or a few days if your able to do it quicker and plan out your days off, your vacations, your activities, what books you are going to need, supplies for your fun activities, etc. What I find helpful is a big family notebook (cute is always better…HA!) where I can keep calendars, attendance, field trip information, etc. Here’s one that is editable that only costs $2 HERE. There are many others you can choose from on Pinterest.
- Measure out supplies. Stock up during the “Back to School” sales with extra glue sticks, crayons, paper, etc. I try and keep an extra box stored away when things start getting old, worn out and need to be replaced. It’s better to have a good supply than having to run out during the school year when they aren’t on sale. Saves time and money!
- Fold in realistic ideas. I’ve got to remind myself of this many times throughout the year. It’s great to have goals and expectations, but we’ve got to be realistic that things don’t always turn out as expected. Life happens and sometimes we just need to be simple and not over plan or over book ourselves. Sickness, interruptions, and delays are all going to happen. We just need to take a deep breath and realize it’s not going to be perfect, it just needs to be real. Take it one day at a time and keep reminding yourself, there will be good days and not so good days, and that’s okay!
- Sprinkle in fun. School can be tasking, long, and sometimes out right hard…….but keep in mind it needs to be fun too! Plan for some down days of “fun” activities, or a trip to add some excitement. Learning can be fun but we need to find ways to laugh some, enjoy learning, and be creative when it comes to school. Add in rewards, treats, and “special” days. This keeps things fresh and helps eliminate a lot of dull days.
Each school year can be as memorable as we make it. Remember, there is no such thing is a perfect school year, but we should aim at making it as smooth and fun as we can. Not only for the kids but the teacher too!
How do you get ready for an upcoming school year?