5 Tips for Back to school
5th Sep 2018
It’s that time of the year again when parents around the country get ready for their children to go back to school, an epic organisational job that involves everything from kitting them out with new uniform, getting feet measured for shiny new shoes and packing pencil cases with stationery for every eventuality! But whether your little one is heading for a brand new school or back to one they know already, we have 5 tips to make sure it’s an A* experience.
1) Talking it through. As parents, we can tend to focus on the practical concerns of getting our children ready for school, and whilst essential, we shouldn’t forget the emotional side. Emma Bradley is a parenting blogger, Sociology Expert and a regular on shows like This Morning, Daybreak and BBC Breakfast. Emma is mum to three children and writes about empowering teenagers and young people. Emma said: “The most important thing is talking to them. Give your children plenty of opportunities to chat about any concerns they may have. They may be worrying about something small that you can resolve, for example, my daughter once worried about forgetting where her new classroom was. We chatted about what she could do if that happened or what would be the worst thing that happened if she did. She quickly realised she could cope with this.”
2) Give them age appropriate responsibility. Think about it, if you had a new job to go to, you’d want to have everything ready and children are much the same. Emma agrees, saying: “Being organised helps us to feel prepared and ready for the day. To help children stay organised don’t do everything for them. Let them take on age-appropriate responsibility. Junior school children should be able to make their packed lunch and pack their bags the night before. We have a rota on the fridge too which reminds us what day PE kits are needed, or guitars etc. and then we all feel organised.” This little bit of responsibility helps children to learn vital life skills that will help them through their school life and beyond.
3) An organised space. It can also help if children’s bedrooms are organised so that they are able to easily find the things that they need for the day, keeping things tidy and in their place. Open Shelving is ideal for children as it allows easy access to things like books, and can also be used to create a useful study space for older children. Our Chrome/Oak Adjustable Shelving is hard wearing and long lasting so will see them through adequately over the growing up years, as well as looking great and on trend, which any child would be happy to entertain it their room. Then from a tidy space, you can develop routines, something that Emma does with her own children: “We do things in the same order every day. Everyone gets dressed in their rooms before they step foot downstairs. Then it is breakfast before going back upstairs to clean teeth and make beds. By creating these routines your mornings should run smoothly as everyone knows what to expect.”
4) Avoiding the morning panic. No matter how organised you think you’ve been, that last 5 minutes before leaving as you hunt for school shoes and lunchboxes can unravel even the best laid plans. But a few tricks can help says Emma: “We have specific places where things belong. School shoes for example all go in a box in the cupboard under the stairs, that way we have no morning panic when a rogue shoe has gone missing!” A Clear Storage Box could be ideal for school shoes. As for packed lunches, Emma adds: “Some people are brilliant at having packed lunch products all in different containers in the fridge and one friend makes a week’s worth of sandwiches at a time and freezes them in individual bags ready to be grabbed each morning!”
5) Work in partnership with the school. Children will get the most from their school experience if they are supported at home and encouraged to get the most out of the opportunities offered to them. This is something that Emma is passionate about, saying: “School and parents need to work in partnership to grow happy, resilient children. If your children see that you value school and the opportunities it brings your children, and you work with the school, then everyone wins. Ask about their day, chat about the things they have learnt in the classroom and you will begin to foster a love of lifelong learning.”