Anticipating Back to School Madness

The countdown begins to back to school madness; the rush of adrenaline as the store circulars highlight the school supplies on sale, the frenzied moms and dads re-organizing their calendars to handle carpools and lunch-making schedules, and the anticipation of starting the new school year. If anything, this might be one of the most stressful times of the year for the average family. The distraction of summer soon fizzles and comes to an end by the middle of August, and the ‘needs’ list is high for back-to-school clothes, backpacks, school supply lists, and of course, the most important first-day-of-school outfit.

Going back-to-school after the long summer break takes energy and time for adjustment, and schedules are usually in conflict for the first few weeks! Parents and kids alike will agree that the anticipation, excitement, and frenzied pace of the new school season is a defining moment for change. Make sure you can cope effectively and survive back to school madness this year. All it takes is some focused planning, shopping lists, and easing yourself out of ‘summer mode’ steadily for success!

� Shop for school supplies on a weekday between 7 p.m.-8 p.m. This is the lowest time for retail shopping in almost all stores, and will GREATLY reduce your shopping trip time.

âÂ?¢ Stock up on the basics during one trip, and seek out sales for the costly items. There’s no sense in purchasing everything on one trip, as most stores will offer multiple but selective deals. Instead, find the cheapest store for your basics list, and do some homework on more expensive items such as calculators, computers, and other pricier items.

� Make a list of needs and wants for back-to-school clothes. Although the task may seem overwhelming, buying an entire summer/fall wardrobe may not be financially viable. Take inventory of current clothes and their condition, and map out a list of priorities. This will greatly reduce your need to browse, and help you make some better purchasing decisions.

âÂ?¢ Try coming up with an official ‘Morning Schedule’ or calendar that organizes who is going to take care of what, and when. This can involve the whole family, but delegating tasks will help create consistency and help manage everyone’s time more efficiently.

âÂ?¢ Get into the habit of picking out clothes the night before. Doing this frequently will help relieve the anxiety of ‘what am I going to wear?’ and save a significant amount of time each day.

âÂ?¢ Make and prepare lunch menus on the weekends; this is a great technique to eliminate any ‘out-of-stock’ food items, and ensuring the lunches are nutritious and complete. This will also help create your revolving grocery list, and reduce the chances of forgetting something on your next trip.

âÂ?¢ Arrange your foyer or entrance area for easy access to shoes, bagpacks, and coats. This will create an efficient system for finding last-minute items as you get ready to head out the door. Making this an official place for keys isn’t a bad idea either!

Back to school madness doesn’t have to give you an anxiety attack! Enjoy the change of the season and make the most of the chaotic times with some sensible tips and strategies. Planning and routines are great ways to instill some good habits in the long run, and will always help things run smoothly from Day 1!