Back-to-school does not have to equal back-to-chaos.
And to some extent the chaos is largely unavoidable. However, there ARE some things we can do to help MANAGE the chaos.
Herefollows 3 tips to help you be prepared for back-to-school!
Employing these three tips is a lot like being a Boy Scout. Ish.
What I am trying to say is… Boy Scouts don’t always get stranded in the woods, but if they do they can handle it because they are PREPARED.
*This post is sponsored by Straight Talk. All opinion and testimony on back-to-schooling are my own.*
Dictionary.com says to be prepared means, “to put things or oneself in readiness; get ready”.
We are weeks (if not days, for some!) away from the start of school. What are some things we parents can do to be the Boy Scouts of back-to-school?
1) Secure the school supply list. Many schools provide the list via email or school website. Some still use paper. If you are like me and paper is as helpful as fallen leaves on the ground, I suggest taking a picture of the list so you will always have it with you. I don’t always keep track of papers, but I always have my phone.
2) Paper shopping bag stapled with supply list and marked with child’s name on it. Here is where paper is actually helpful! As I either slowly buy supplies or binge-buy everything in one exhausting trip – as soon I get home I put the supplies in each child’s bag…
…and  each bag has their name written in Sharpie. BECAUSE EACH CHILD HAS DIFFERENT LISTS. BECAUSE… LIFE.
I also staple a copy of the supply list outside the bag and mark off each item that gets added to the bag. It seems there is always one more thing that needs to get added. I like being able to check things off so each child (and mE) knows we have everything ready for that first day.
3) Communication strategy. As the mother of 2 teens (and a tween)… this is VERY IMPORTANT. In our family, we have found that phones and a regularly-updated family calendar in a high-traffic area are key components to our communication strategy. Each person has their own color on the calendar.
Not only do we need to know our own schedules, but we’ve found it helps for us ALL to know what we are ALL up to. The unexpected bonus of a posted calendar is it reduces the amount of questions I get, “What are we doing tonight, Mom?” (Note: the picture of that calendar is a snippet from the summer… so it’s a bit tamer and a bit less colorful than a school-week calendar!)
Alas…even the best laid plans are subject to unscheduled changes (if you have any experience with how football practice end-times work – you will know what I mean), and with the tight schedule that back-to-school brings, it sure can save-the-day (or dinner) to get a text from your kid letting you know that practice is running late. Again.
With a little warning you suddenly find a little extra time to put dinner together after all instead of grabbing something from the nearest drive-thru.
Or it means you can pick up your daughter BEFORE you pick up your son which means she doesn’t have to sit around for 30 minutes after her rehearsal which means everyone might actually end up at home at the same time and that is just beautiful.
GO MODERN TECHNOLOGY!
Lucky for us, Straight Talk has a wide variety of smart phones and service plans to choose from… so whether you communicate via text, or Facebook message, or photos… there is a no-contract, affordable phone plan perfect for what your busy back-to-school family needs!
Plus, a smart phone means your family can share pictures of what you’re missing when you can’t be everywhere at once. (As advanced as technology is, there is no technology that helps us be in two, or three, and definitely not four different places at once!)
Back-to-school brings lots of expenses, it’s nice to know there are a few things that won’t take a huge bite out of the budget and help keep all the back-to-schoolers in touch! AND starting now, Straight Talk users on the $45 30-day unlimited plan will receive more high speed data. With no exceptions, every user on that plan will now have 5GB high speed data to enjoy (up from 3GB offered before!). *Includes unlimited talk and text with 5 GB of high speed data per 30 day cycle. After 5 GB, data speed will be reduced to as low as 2GB for the remainder of the 30 day cycle. At 2G speed, the functionality of some data applications such as streaming video or audio may be affected. All currently active Straight Talk BYOP customers will also receive the first 5 GB Data at High Speeds at the start of their next 30 day cycle. Please refer always to the Terms and Conditions of Service at StraightTalk.com
So… what are YOUR tips for helping your family be prepared for back-to-school?
