Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – Back to School

Even though schools in Chicago don’t start until after Labor Day, many of our Northwest Suburban school districts will be starting in the next few weeks. Make this the year you get the kids organized and make school mornings relatively stress free.

Even the youngest children can pack their own lunch. Designate one drawer and stock with pre- portioned snacks, easy to grab fruit cups, and granola or protein bars. Do the same in the refrigerator with deli meats, cheeses, fruit, veggies and yogurt. Store them all in pre-portioned bags and let the kids make their own lunch. Have a master list with categories like protein, fruit, veggies, and snacks. They will have a balanced lunch if they choose one item from each category.

While shopping for school supplies, stock up on extras for emergency uses. Poster board, markers, colored pencils, stencils, and glue sticks will come in handy for a last- minute school project. Take advantage of the sale prices this time of year! Have supplies ready for a homework station too. Whether it’s at the dining room table or other area, make sure it’s as distraction free as possible. Keep supplies like pens, pencils, scissors, and markers in a caddy  for multiuse areas like the dining room table.

Use a digital clock with multiple settings to give slowpokes a nudge. Set the alarm to go off ten minutes before it’s time to leave or when the bus arrives. It really gets them moving! Keep all their essentials together in a cubby. You can find small, relatively inexpensive storage cabinets at stores like Target and Walmart. Store their backpacks here, along with shoes and light jackets. Having the kids lay out clothes the night before will also prevent things from being crazy in the morning, especially for tween girls! Use garment hangers to set out clothes for the entire week.

Better organization is mandatory, especially if you have two or more children. Moms and Dads have everyone’s calendar on their devices, but it’s good to get the children organized with an actual week-at-a-glance planner. Even elementary students will benefit from getting used to planning their week. Use a dry erase board for a monthly calendar. These are great backups to everybody’s own personal calendars. Use for planning meals too! Get everyone involved and let children have a day for their favorite meals.

With a little pre-planning, we can look forward to less drama in the mornings, as well as the rest of the day! It also teaches children how to be organized on their own.     

KATHY WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO