Here in Florida we’re just a week away from the start of the new school year. Some of you in the Great White North (anywhere north of Georgia) may have a little longer. But you can take a lesson from my last minute scrambling about what you’ve still got to get done.
Back to school Checklist:
– Morning Routine – If your children aren’t ‘morning people’, you should start getting them up a little earlier now. A minor hassle every day for the next week is a lot better than a major hassle the first morning of school.
– School Supplies – When I was a student back in the late Pre-Cambrian Era school supplies consisted of a backpack, a pencil, and one 5-subject notebook. Now each child is assigned a laundry list of items, some specified by brand names. Gallon-sized Ziploc bags for boys. Quart-sized for girls. 10 pack Crayola crayons (They only come in 8, 12, or 24 packs). The time is now, if you haven’t done so already, to brave the chaos of the school supply aisle at your local Wal-Mart.
– New shoes – I don’t know why, but every kid has to start the school year with a new pair of sneakers. Don’t question it; that’s just the way it is.
– School Uniforms – If your school requires uniforms, it’s well past time to get them for the new school year. Check last year’s outfits to see if anything still fits. Make sure the belts haven’t disappeared into the ether.
– Bus Schedules – Don’t assume that nothing has changed with regard to the bus schedule. Check and double check.
– Physicals – Depending on the grade level, your child may need a physical and/or immunizations.
– Extracurricular Activities – In a world increasingly filled with all sorts of extracurricular activities that kids absolutely “must” join, sign-ups have been coming earlier and earlier every year. Give a good look-over to that mass of papers the kids bring home the first few days of school. I swear, the schools take some sick joy in hiding important paperwork in the midst of a ream of nonsense.
– This is the Internet Age – Check the school’s website the week before school starts for any updates you may have missed.