Prepare for the year ahead

The start of school often means new organisation challenges for families but that doesn’t have to mean more stress.
Families can get organised now for the best school year ever with these handy tips to prepare the home and family for the busy days ahead.
1. The first day of school is no time for a drastic adjustment of household sleep schedules. Instead, ease children back into a school year routine gradually.
During the last two weeks of summer, re-introduce a school year bedtime.
Begin waking late sleepers earlier and earlier, closer to the hour they’ll need to rise when school begins.
2. Track after-school activities, school programs and volunteer work with a family planner placed centrally within the home for all to see.
Post the family event calendar in a public place near the telephone, on the refrigerator, or tack it to a bulletin board.
A paper calendar with large squares lets you enter information easily and color-coding entries by family member helps keep busy lives straight.
3. An informed shopper is a savvy shopper, so prepare before shopping.
Take an afternoon and assess each child’s clothing needs.
Empty drawers and closets of outgrown or worn-out clothing and either store or donate the discards. Develop a wardrobe-needs list for each child and check for possible hand-me-downs from older siblings as you make your list.
4. School entry may require documentation from immunization records to report cards from the previous school year.
A little preparation can prevent frantic last-minute searches for a birth certificate or registration confirmation.
Phone school or check the school district website beforehand to find out what paperwork will be required.
5. When the school year starts, keep planning ahead.
Send children and the rest of the family out the door in a happy frame of mind by thinking ahead and preparing for the next morning.
Set the breakfast table as you clear the dinner dishes or make sure breakfast foods are easy to reach.
Lay out children’s clothing the night before and make sure musical instruments or sports bags are packed and ready to go.