I survived back to school (barely) and so can you!
Not sure what was most stressful about this school year: The new school? Or the fact that I waited last minute for everything. Like they say, “practice makes perfect”.
So here’s some tips on surviving back to school.
1. Set a bed time schedule.
This one was easier said than done. The little man spent all summer going to bed really late. So 2 weeks before school started we tried to get him in bed by 9 pm. Which is still pretty late. But because we had him going to bed by 9 pm, when it was time for school to start we were able to get him in bed by 8 pm. Trust me when I say, setting a bed time for your kid is crucial to your sanity!
2. Have an awesome sister pick up most of the school supplies.
This one is tricky, if you are not blessed with an awesome sister (like I am), then you will have to do the picking up yourself. I live In Quebec and the school list is usually sent with the kids on their last day of school. Because the little man was being transferred to a new school, we got our school supply list in the mail mid July. My sister happens to work in the mall right in front of Bureau en Gros (Staples), so she kindly offered to pick up the items on the list. We only had to go back and pick up a few other things and a backpack.
3. Online shopping is your friend (in this situation anyway).
This year I wanted bento lunch boxes or something similar for The Little man’s lunches. I searched everywhere but was unable to find any. Good thing there is the internet!! I ended up getting some lunch containers from Amazon. It helps that I have my Prime membership so my order was shipped within 2 days.
Pretty simple right?
I have to be honest, I did freak out the first week leading up to back to school. Now that I’ve survived back to school, let’s hope I can survive the next few months.
Do you have some tips for surviving back to school? Share them in the comment below.
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Setting a bedtime schedule and getting the kids to actually stick to it are two different things….at least in my case. It’s like pulling teeth around here! Ugh!
It can be simple! Prepping for school is the hardest transition a child can make. Great tips!
I had planned on setting an early bedtime schedule for a few weeks prior but we never did. Super early tonight!
isn’t Amazon the greatest? Glad to hear you were able to find some great lunch containers – and the prime shipping is always an awesome perk.
I don’t dread back-to-school myself personally but I can see why these tips would be important for a lot of parents. Back-to-school time is already stressful enough, anything we can do to ease the load, I’m all for it.
Great tips and way to go sis for helping out. I’m right now freaking out as I can’t seem to find son a new back pack that is bigger then the one he has. I didn’t realize he would have so many books.
These are some great tips. We had our kids start with an earlier bedtime routine a week before school started then we woke them up 30 minutes earlier each day as well. They had no trouble getting out of bed this morning.
Well done at surviving back to school! Some great tips – I don’t do ‘getting up’ times well. x
Setting a bed time schedule is extremely important!! Morning routines is where it’s hardest for me because my son takes forever to get ready and really drags along. I’ve noticed though that after he gets a goodnights sleep he manages to get up on time, is more alert and finishes eating and dressing on time, and I don’t have to be so stressed out.
Great tips we tried to set a bedtime a few weeks before school started but it was hard to get back in the routine. Thanks for sharing.
You have a nice sister! Sounds like she saved you a big trip to the store.
A bed time schedule is important. Being consistent is key!
I think I’m going to need these tips because we go back to school this week. I actually went back to work today and set up my classroom.
Going back to the bedtime has always been the hardest for us. But routine is key!
What a great sister. Back to school can be a stressful time!
The helpful sister is the best thing you can have! Hope the little man has a great school year!
we have gotten back into the grind without a hitch. only detail is trying to make it to bedtime on time, but hopefully we will get there this week
Haven’t had to deal with back to school myself yet. These are great tips though. Maybe stock up on items? 😉
Great tips for the first day of school. What a nice sister you have
WOW your sister is awesome. My sis would be like NO, come with me. lol But I don’t have little ones anymore, mine are older. I would probably be the sis helping her with her little ones. lol Great list! Hope your son transitions well in his new school!
I really tried to start an earlier bedtime those last 2 weeks before school. But then we crammed so much into our last two weeks that it didn’t work. Surprisingly though, it was smooth sailing on our first “it’s a school night” of the year.
Eek, it’s chilly enough for a jacket there. 😉 I love those color block shoes and that bright backpack. I thought school bedtime was going to be a big deal for our teen and 1st grader. Both are doing great though, knock on wood. Good luck to your son with having a great school year!
Never mind my short comment. I saw this post when I was just swinging by visiting. I was sidetracked by the thought of cold weather. 😉 I know I mentioned it on Facebook, but I love the bright colors he’s dressed in.
We’re back into routine here, but the weekends (like now) seriously throw the kids off for a bit come Monday morning. 😉
I find being prepared and picking up extra at the end of the year helps me. This way I always have things on hand for unexpected items that get lost or broken. I also price match so I get the best possible deal without having to run all over the place hunting for things.
Great and easy tips! It’s hard to get back into the school routine after a long summer.
Great tips for back to school, especially bed time. Nothing is worse on school days than trying to get a tired, grumpy little one ready for school. I wish I had the awesome sister part too! Lol.
What a great idea – having someone else pick up some of the school supplies means less stress for you and no battling with the kids over which colors/design the folders have, etc…
Agree 100 % on line shopping is the way to go!
The internet is such a big help with picking up so many things. Back to school time is stressful enough so if you can lessen the stress in any way you should. It’s great that you have an awesome sister who helped you out.
I love online shopping but sadly everytime I try to use it for back to school or Christmas I end up getting screwed over and having to go to the dreaded stores anyways.
I think the tip about getting back on a normal bedtime schedule is very important. I’m sure it saved yo ua lot of hassle!
My tips for surviving the school years are simple. Crock pot and WINE…lots of wine. Just kidding about the wine. The crock pot makes diner less stressful. and Crock pot liners make the Crock pot a breeze to clean.
Agree on the all the tips but especially with the online shopping! So much easier and I hate crowds. Love shopping from the comfort of my recliner lol.
These are all great tips. It is wonderful that your sister want able to help. I avoid the mall at all cost during back to school time.
Great tips! Its always great when your kids survive the first day!
I love my Prime too. I hate when the membership fee comes up but I like the service. Your sister IS awesome!
We added a set bedtime and wakeup, for daily mass. It’s made for a good routine that works for our kids.
I don’t have kids (or want any), and I am still so thankful for the back to school days. All of the local children all seem to congregate below my wind and all hours of the day, and the last few days have been dead silent. It’s beautiful, even though it is only for a few hours.
I did my school shopping back in July so it was all done and I didn’t have to worry about it. I did end up having to buy more though lol.
Small, simple and effective tips! Online shopping is my best friend!
Yes, getting my kids back on their school bedtime schedule was definitely easier said than done. It was even hard for me. LOL. Online shopping is great but I didn’t get too much of it this year. My kids are getting older and wanted to go to the store with me to pick out their outfits and school supplies.
Great post. If you aren’t careful, back to school will chew you up and spit you out.
Great tips. Online shopping is definately your friend!! I’ll be doing it all school year.
Setting and keeping a schedule is the only way to fly!
Well, well, well. A fellow Quebecoise! Pleasure to make your acquaintance! We picked up a whiteboard from bureau en gros for our back to school shopping this year!
These are great tips indeed. I would say my tip is don’t stray from the night time schedule to much on weekends and vacations. Thanks for sharing.
These are some awesome tips.
I agree…set bedtime is key, not only to their success in school but to our sanity! My kids go to bed at 7:30 and read for thirty minutes then lights out at 8! Gives my husband and I some grown up time before we hit the hay!
my daughter started her school last week she is in primary 2 now. she will start the schoolbus tomorrow too hehe. i guess i survived the first week of school its a lot more easier now.
Having just gotten my two back into school mode I can agree with #1 & #3. Bedtime is KING around here. I have a schedule that we stick to for my own sanity. And #3, well, Amazon and a few other online retailers took most of my school budget. I just can’t find the sizes and exactly what I want locally.
Bedtime routine is so important when it comes to back to school. When my kids were younger I would have them start going to bed earlier a few days before school started. That helped immensely.
Love back to school time. Great tips. However I do love to shop for supplies on my own.
For years and years I tried the “ease the schedule in” approach. I finally changed tactics and went cold turkey on the first day of school. They were so tired they fell asleep immediately! Lol.
I have no siblings though, can´t make tip #2. 😉
Setting up the time for the kids to sleep so that they’ll wake up early is the best! Though I never had an issue with every back to school phase. 🙂
Before you know it, your little man will be in college. Good tips!