August is right around the corner, and you know what that means…back-to-school season!
Here are Shen’s tips for success:
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Crack open the wine in preparation for thinking about this herculean effort.
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Try not to think about it. Watching reruns of your favorite show is more fun.
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Finally, resign yourself to getting organized, because if you don’t, all hell will break loose.
Ok, on with our regularly-scheduled programming…
IF you can spend a little bit of time working on the following, it’s a great idea. If you can’t and you’re really just focusing on getting a shower every day and not letting raccoons inside your home – hey, NO JUDGMENT here. Seriously. I work FULL time and have two kids who somehow can’t locate the trash can reliably, so if you saw my house, you’d know I have no stones to throw.
But here are some thoughts, so put on your unicorn horn for optimism and good luck and keep reading. Spending a few hours arranging, cataloging, and categorizing areas in your home can help reduce stress and the chance of losing items during the school year; promote a positive mindset and healthy environment; and encourage responsibility in your kids.
To get you started, we’ve put together three simple ways you can get your household ready for the best school year yet!
1. Create a Designated Study Area
A cozy space where your children can do their homework is a great way to minimize distractions, which can lead to improved grades. There are some important things to keep in mind when creating this space... You want to make sure the area is well-lit and separated from other activities to increase attentiveness and prevent your children from straining their eyes or hurting their vision. Another important feature to include is a comfortable chair because your kids will most likely be sitting in it for long periods of time.
(Shen’s pro tip: and maybe add a little trash can next to the chair that states TRASH so hey, it’s abundantly clear that all the wrappers and yogurt containers can go in there.)
2. Check and Organize School Supplies
Once you have a study area set up, you’ll want to make sure you have all the essential items your kids will need to complete projects and homework. For instance, calculators, rulers, glue, scissors, pens, markers and crayons are all necessary items to keep in the study area. Not only will you want to make sure that these essential items are in your home, you will also want to keep them organized. This will allow your children to spend more time on their homework and less time looking for supplies.
(Shen’s pro tip: Doesn’t matter how old your kids are, I HIGHLY recommend that you store all glitter (otherwise known as “craft herpes”) and permanent markers on another planet.)
3. Keep a Family Calendar
Finally, another way to keep your household organized for a successful school year is a family calendar that is located in a central area of your home. This will allow all family members to see everyone's schedules in one place so everyone knows what's happening and when. Most importantly, it will also reduce the stress of trying to remember all the different events, activities, and deadlines, which will help prevent your family from overcommitting or forgetting something.
(Shen’s pro tip: isn’t this the dream? Hey, if anyone has cracked this code, let me know. I currently have a paper calendar that is the supposed “family calendar,” and of course my own google calendar. We are STILL working on not overcommitting or forgetting something. The worst is when I realize I have to be in three places at one time. I guess cloning can’t come fast enough.)
Well anyway, carry on, friends! If nothing else, halfway attempting these things should lull you into a false sense of confidence as we march on towards August. That’s worth something, right? For real though, I am going to actually try this time. You got this.
Cheers,
Shen
