Easing the Stess of Back to School
Joie Rickards • 208-595-8019 • joierickardsrealtor@gmail.com
Posted: July 29, 2022 by Inactive Joie Rickards
It’s hard to believe that the end of summer is just around the corner and back to school is upon us. It can be a stressful time, especially when you see the list of supplies your child needs and the thought of preparing for that first day. Here are a few tips to lessen your stress and make it as easy as possible.
Some parents prepare early, but if you are a busy parent like me, you are just getting started. The first thing I did was I went through my kids’ things and found school supplies that they didn’t even use. I mean, how many kids go through 48 pencils in one year? I doubt many. I compared what I had on hand to the list of what they needed. The list was pretty short and that was exciting!
Next, I hopped on to Amazon and shopped by grades. Yes, you can shop by grades and it’s amazing! This way everything gets delivered and I don’t feel like I have to fight the crowds and the stores. Also, there is nothing worse than heading to the store and seeing all the empty shelves.
Now, let’s talk about clothes. Some kids use a uniform, so that’s a time saver. I try to make it easy on my pocket book by only buying a few new outfits. Truth is, the first week is when they want to wear new clothes. After that, they don’t care. I buy some new clothes and then I buy some gently used. Let’s face it, kids go through clothes so fast. Sometimes it seems like they can grow a few feet overnight! To save time (and my sanity), I only go to one store. What I spend the most on is a really good pair of shoes. I find that making that investment upfront saves the most money from continuously buying pairs throughout the year.
You have the supplies and the clothes, now comes that first day. I find that preparing the night before works wonders. It eases the stress of running around that first morning. The night before I have my kids put their outfits out, along with their shoes and backpacks. I also let them decide what to have for lunch. We make it together and we pack it up and it’s ready to go in the morning. I also give myself an extra 15 minutes in the morning for taking pictures on the first day of school.
I’m wishing you all a great school year ahead! Just take it one day at a time and remember: all our kids really need is our love and support throughout the year.