Back to School Checklist

4 things you can do this week, as a family, to have a smoother start to the school year next week.

Back to School Checklist:

4 Get Ready Tips for a Smoother First Week!

1. Talk to your kids/family about routines and responsibilities:

   • Discuss what days may look like with sleeping, waking, hygiene, snacks and all things in-between.

   • Talk about some of their upcoming responsibilities:

     • This may include getting their breakfast ready, or ensuring they are up and ready to eat, assisting with lunch packing, getting snacks ready for afterschool, cleaning out their lunch box, time for chores/homework, or anything else that may need to be done each day.

       
       

2. Ease back into a routine:

   • This may be getting to sleep a little bit earlier, and waking up a little bit earlier.

   • Practice in making meal choices and putting meals or snacks together.

     
     

3. Meal and snack plan and prep:

   • Find lunch boxes, containers, ice packs, water bottles, utensils, etc. check their condition, replace any that need replacing, make sure you have enough. Clean/wipe out the lunch box. 

   • Review menus for breakfast/lunch for the first week of school. Decide what days you will be bringing or buying, and the menu choice your child wants to purchase.

   • Load any money that you need into your child’s student account, so everyone is prepared. 

   • For anyone with food allergies or other medical concerns, be sure you have completed all the necessary forms/make sure you have been in contact with the necessary school personnel, or school nurse. 

   • Look at the week ahead, for meals/snacks your child will not be purchasing, talk about some breakfast, lunch, and snacktime options that they may like to have. 

   • As a family, come up with some dinner ideas. 

     • Be sure to keep people’s schedules in mind. It may be unrealistic to have a gourmet meal on the table if everyone has lots of afterschool activities or commitments!  Always have a backup or a quick and easy dinner idea with foods you keep on hand. Be sure to include items to make these meals on your grocery list.

   • Make your grocery list. 

   • Go grocery shopping. 

   • Identify a system for getting meals and snacks together/meal prep. 

     
     

4. Check-in:

   • Talk with kids about how they are feeling about the upcoming year ahead:

     • What are they most excited about?

     • Is there anything that they are nervous or worried about?

       • Validate their feelings, problem solve, and offer reassurance for some of their fears.

I hope you found this checklist to be helpful. 

What are some things your family does to get prepared for the new school year?