That’s right, the dreaded time of year has arrived for most American students! With this comes panic, fatigue, and suffering. So, in order to keep you from quarantining your child or wallet, I’ve made a teen’s back to school survival guide for you, the parent.
- Don’t buy school supplies in advance: Almost every year I have gotten school supplies in advance, only to show up at school and discover I need something else or something I got isn’t the right type. Get it all after the first day of school in one easy trip to avoid miscalculation. Most schools aren’t going to force you to have everything on the first day of school.
- Get a good night’s rest: The first day of school is stressful and exciting , so the night before, have your child get a good rest. Not only will they be tired and confused without it, they will irritate everyone around them, and that will not help their school year.
- Feed them well: On the first day of school, my mom always makes breakfast and in my opinion, that helps my attitude and gives me energy to get though the day. Also, a good meal the night before doesn’t hurt.
- Run a ‘trial night’: A few days before school starts, have your children go to bed at school bed times and wake up and get ready like it’s a school day. You can try to work out the kinks like showering and a decent wake up time to prevent commotion on the real school day.
- Don’t stress: Your child (or children) is already stressed enough without you freaking out, too.
- Prepare the night before: Pack school bags and lunches, pick out outfits, and other things in advance, so the first day’s morning runs smoothly and without a hitch.
- Don’t overdo it: This is the first day of school, not World War Three.
This guide should help you along, but it won’t be perfect, so just run with the ball. . .