Well, it's that time of year; preparing to return to school!  For many regions, summer is nearing a rapid end; it's time for the school doors to re-open!  To help curve 'return jitters', for parents & children alike, Preparation is often the solution for 'ease of return'.  

I appreciate our teachers; how they've carefully taken the time to prepare the children for the next grade.  My children's teachers went as far as allowing 4th graders, for example, to meet their prospective 5th grade teachers.  Giving the opportunity to capture a mental snap-shot of the class-room, and clarifying what's expected of them, is great strategy to prepare for the next level.

There are multiple ways we can prepare our children for the first days of school. Consider these simple Back to School Preparation reminders before the big day!

Prepare Physically....
1.  Immunizations - Verify blue card is up-to-date!
2.  Vision - Schedule an eye appointment.  Nothing worse then not being able to see the board the first week of school!  Also, for contact wearers, replenish supply.
3.  Healthy lunch menu - Begin collecting healthy lunch ideas for school days.  Make them ahead of time to establish a few favorites.
4.  Proper Rest - About a week before school begins, establish an early bedtime routine.  Transition out of summer, bedtime hours, into school hours.  The proper amount of sleep is essential.  How many hours should your child be getting?  Consider this sleep-guide developed by www.webmd.com:

6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day

7-12 Years Old: 10 - 11 hours per day

12-18 Years Old: 8 - 9 hours per day

Prepare Academically....
1.  Summer Reading- Check to see if your child has completed his/her summer reading selection.
2.  Math Ready- Verify the facts!  Particularity for upper grades; brush-up on time tables & division before returning.
3.  School Supplies- This is one of my favorite preparation activities!  I love seeing the excited faces as the choices of new pens & pencils, back-packs, folders, graph paper, etc. overshadows the faces of everyone involved.  We typically go early & get great pictures for the scrap-book.

Prepare Mentally.....
1.  Transportation Plan- Talk about your family's plan for the school year so that children know what to expect.  Safety Tip:  Let your child know who has your permission to transport them in case of an emergency.
2.  Routines - Talk about your morning, after-school, chores, extra curricular activity routines for the school year.  Allow the children to give input before it's enforced; consider their solutions.  Once the routine is developed, established and agreed upon, implementing will be much smoother.
3.  Goal setting - Have everyone write down their goals for the upcoming school year.  It may be anything from increased reading level to wake-up with a good attitude.  Have each person put his or her paper in their file or box and bring it out, midyear and towards the end of the school year, for review and self-evaluation.

With a little time and planning, everyone can feel prepared with these Back to School Preparation reminders.

Happy Preparing!