8 things you need to do now to prepare for school starting.

My children are still too young to be leaving me and going off into the wide world of schooling, but from what I’m reading online from other mothers with older kids, back to school is a crazy time. There’s so much to do, so much to organise and prepare and as mum, it all falls on you.

I’ve picked up these handy tips and tricks for managing the return to school for when it’s my turn.

Mummy Hack 1: Backpacks should be packed beforehand.

Ideally, pack the kids’ bags the night before so you’re not rushing around like a headless chook with three minutes to get out the door. I often find it’s easier to get things done when the kids are in bed, so spend 10 minutes organising their bags and lunches the night before so all you need to do is dress the kids in the morning.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Dairylea Cheese. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words. 

Mummy Hack 2: Double check that everything is labelled.

Kids have a great way of losing everything. EVERYTHING. It’s usually the most expensive stuff that goes first. Start the year by ordering stick-on and iron-on labels for all of their gear, so that you know exactly what should return home with them. You can get some really good deals online for multi-packs that include everything you need. I did see one tip which suggested getting labels made up with your surname and phone number instead of your child’s first name so you don’t have to re-label items when something is passed on to a younger sibling.

Mummy Hack 3: Prepare food in advance.

A quick look online will show you there are so many healthy, easy meals that you can prepare in advance for lunchboxes. Sandwiches often freeze well and mean that you don’t have to spend every night putting together their food for the next day. Cut up fruit and veggies when you return home from the shops and have them washed and ready to pack direct from a plastic container in the fridge.

Mummy Hack 4: Contact your children’s books (like a boss).

Contacting books can be a real drag of a job. I remember well the days of my own schooling where you’d end up covered in plastic, swearing at inanimate objects – only to finish with a book covered in bubbles and creases. But this YouTube video should really help:

• Cut contact to size by measuring your book against the paper guide.
• Peel the contact from the corner only about 10cm in.
• Fold over the paper and lay the book parallel to the paper. A small section of the book should be stuck to the contact.
• Flip the book over and pull the paper back while using a ruler to smooth out any bubbles as you go.
• Cut triangles at the corners and put aside. This makes folding the contact easier over the corners. You can later add the reserved triangles to the inside cover of the book for added strength and durability.
• Wrap the edges of the contact into the book and smooth out.

Mummy Hack 5: Get your kids into a morning routine.

Start your kids on a morning routine before school starts. This will set their body clock and allow them to adapt to what will be happening when they begin at school. Show them ways to get dressed and brush their teeth and show them the importance of being on time.

Mummy Hack 6: Make a central location to keep all the school supplies.

Designate an area of your house to holding school bags/shoes/hats etc so you don’t have a frantic dash around the place looking for lost items in the morning. Teach your kids to leave their school shoes there as soon as they get home and consider installing hooks and hangers to keep bags and hats off the ground.

Mummy Hack 7: Create a family command centre.

As the school year picks up, so too will your busy schedule. Establish an area to keep a family planner, school diaries, phone book, calendar and in-tray for school notes so you have some degree of organisation in a crazy environment.

Mummy Hack 8: Don’t over-commit yourself.

Especially in the first few weeks of school, try and keep your schedule as free as possible so you can focus on your kids. They will be tired, they’ll probably be grumpy and the adjustment to big school can be a huge challenge for parents and children alike. Keep your afternoons free to rest and try and keep activities to a minimum for your own stress levels – at least until you have adjusted to the new routine.

What handy tips do you have to prepare the kids for the new school year?

Check out some these school essentials the kids will need for school:

DAIRYLEA cheese believes in a world where the best food is made with simple and honest ingredients. Where fun and play should be part of your every day, for kids as well as mums…So to support the fun loving mums of the world, we’ve invented MUMMY HACKS. These are the mummy inspired ideas that help take the ‘um’ out of being a mum.

​For more useful tips, tricks and parenting tidbits visit mummyhacks.com.au

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