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Beginning a new school year can be stressful and expensive. Use these tips to make the transition easy, fun, and less expensive.
Summer is half over already, and there are a lot of things to do to get ready for the new school year. Where do you start?
There are a number ways to make the transition from summer break to back-to-school easier on the entire family.
- If you have young children, talk about what school will be like.
- If your children go to public or a private school, make a visit to their new classroom before the new year begins. Many schools allow the teachers to have a few summer hours for setting up their classrooms and meeting prospective students. This will help with them knowing who their teacher is, and may take away some anxiety they might have over it.
- If you homeschool, show your children the materials they will be using. Allow them to look at and touch their new books and manipulatives. (One warning- they may want to start school NOW.)
- If you have older kids who will be going to a new school, encourage them to seek out others who will be going to the same school and encourage them to make friendships before school begins.
- School supplies can be expensive. Keep your eyes open for sales that may be going on from now to the beginning of the school year. Many school supply lists are available before school begins, and some stores display lists in their lobbies. If you don't know what your children will need, stock up on pencils, pens, notebooks (1 subject, and 3 subject), glue sticks, crayons, binders, notebook paper, folders, book covers, and anything else you know will be needed. Buying things while they are on sale will save money, as well as help be prepared ahead of time.
- Shopping for school clothes is another thing you can do now. Fall clothes are being stocked in the stores now, and there will be many sales. Take advantage of these sales, buying a couple of things a week rather than all at once might help keep the budget under control.
- Take one day a week and do something fun with your kids. This will keep the focus on summer, and make memories they will carry to school with them. It will also give them a variety of things to choose from when asked to write the essay "What I Did On Summer Break".
Enjoy the experiences you have together. It doesn't matter if it is shopping for the new school year, or doing something that is summer fun. Every day can hold it's own enjoyment.
Remember that it is always easier to do something if it seems like it will be a fun time. Emphasize the positives of school and learning to your kids, then they will look forward to it.
The copyright of the article Going From Summer to School in Parenting Methods is owned by Jean Marie Lockwood. Permission to republish Going From Summer to School in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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