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Contact: Stephanie L. H. Calahan
A: 8 Shoreline Court, Suite 100, Bloomington IL 61704
T: 309.825.7833 (days & evenings)
F: 309.422.7665
E: media@calahansolutions.com
W: www.CalahanSolutions.com
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Time Management 101: Back to School Tips & Tricks for the Busy Parent

8 Tips to Eliminate School Time Stress

BLOOMINGTON IL -- August 3, 2009 - As the carefree days of summer are coming to a close, it’s time to start thinking about sending the kids back to school. While some parents are jumping for joy, others view this time of year as hectic and stressful. Many a busy parent can tell you how fighting to stay organized and up-to-date with the wide array of activities, appointments, meetings, and special events is a very strenuous task.

Now is the time to pave the way to a good school year by setting up an organized routine and house.  Stephanie LH Calahan of Calahan Solutions, Inc. shares her favorite tips.

1. Check your dates

By now, most schools have mailed out their annual calendars (or have them posted on the web.)  Take 5-10 minutes to review the school schedule and add all of the activities/events onto your calendar now.  This way, as the year progresses, you won’t accidentally double book your schedule. 

2. Take time to make time

If your family like planning the traditional paper-planner way, dedicate a certain time at the start or end of your week to make family plans and go over your schedule for the upcoming week. 

If your family is tech savvy and likes to stay updated on the go, consider these planning options:

· Send an Outlook Calendar Invite: In our household, I go through the schedule and send Outlook meeting invites to my husband.  This way, we both have the information on our calendars/phones.  If your child needs immunizations or a physical completed don’t forget to jot down the scheduled appointment.

· Remember the Milk (http://www.rememberthemilk.com/)  While it was originally created to manage grocery shopping lists (thus the name) the company has expanded its capabilities to help you stay on top of all of your to-do lists.

· Spring Pad (http://www.springpadit.com/) If you need an online spot to store your planning and organizing thoughts, this could be a good option for you.  They have many pre-designed forms, or you can create your own.

3. Are your child’s medical/dental records up-to-date?

Many states update their immunization requirements for school age children at this time of year.  In addition, many states have dental check-up requirements for certain grades.  Check your local Department of Health or your school’s nurse for requirements and make sure to get your child’s appointments completed and documentation updated. 

4. Start adjusting those bed-time and wake-up time routines now

Many families will loosen the bed-time and wake-up time schedules over the summer.  Now is a good time to start easing your child back into a school schedule by having them go to bed a few minutes earlier and wake up a few minutes earlier each day/week.

5. How will your child get to school each day?

If your child needs to take the bus to school, then review the school’s bus schedule to make sure that nothing has changed from the previous year. 

6. Make mornings less hectic - ensure each child has personal tasks

The key a smooth running home in the morning is to have everyone in the household involved in the daily tasks. Encourage independence. Let them help in what ever age-appropriate tasks they can. The more kids are involved in the household, the less strain there is on you, the parents.

The list should include all of the activities that need to be accomplished in order to be ready for a great day at school. The list helps you provide structure with out having to nag your child. Feel free to customize each child’s list by adding or deleting tasks as appropriate.

• Empty backpack – Each child should empty their own backpack into a simple system. Don’t overwhelm your kindergartener with an elaborate filing system. Consider using a plastic vertical file that hangs on a wall next to your backpack storage. Designate a specific spot for each child as well as an “ASAP” spot. The “ASAP” spot is for any paperwork or homework that would require immediate attention (notes from the teacher, items for the parents to sign, permission slips, etc.) This provides you some guarantee that notes and papers get to you in a timely manner. Parents remember to review the files daily!
• Put backpack away – There should be a designated spot in your home for backpacks. This could be a hallway bench, hooks in a garage, shelves in a laundry room or any location close to where the children will be exiting the house. By placing the backpack near the door before bedtime, you eliminate the mad rush backpack search in the morning.
• Do homework & put in backpack – This may seem obvious, but often, kids notify their parents about assignments as they are being tucked in for bed. By including it on the assignment chart, it is harder to overlook. Each child should have a designated study time. It does not matter if you are an adolescent or an adult, you benefit from a routine.
• Make lunch – Even if your child is too young to make his/her lunch by themselves, they should be able to help pack fruit, beverage, dessert or chips. By making lunches the previous evening you will have one less thing to do on the morning.
• Choose clothes – Teach your child to listen to the weather forecast for the next day so that they can pick out appropriate clothing. Make a rule that they must stick with their clothing choice the next morning – no stalling because they did not feel like wearing what they chose the night before.
• Pack for extracurricular activities – This might include sports equipment, band instruments, or field trip extras.

Remember children need to make as many decisions as  possible. Avoid power struggles by letting them make small decisions. Encourage independence. The more kids are involved in the household, the less strain there is on the parents.

7. Have a designated study area

After establishing the morning and evening routines, make sure that your kids have an area set aside to study. Just where and when a child should do their homework depends on the child, but again, it should be a part of the routine. Make sure that each child has a designated study area – not at the kitchen table or the computer desk (when possible). Ensure that they can spread out their materials and preferably it should be away from the T.V. and radio. While some students work well at a kitchen table around noise, most require quiet, low-traffic areas to study. You may need to try a few different areas before you find the one that works best for your child.

8. Supply the study area with all of the resources needed

Make sure that the study area has a dictionary, thesaurus, pencils, erasers, paper, assignment book, glue, stapler, rulers,  calculator, pencil sharpener, tape, scissors, index cards and whatever else he/she needs that is age appropriate. Also make sure that there is adequate lighting for proper concentration.

As you are setting up the area, remember color. Color affects our mood and memory. Let your child pick out the colors for their folders and notebooks. If blue reminds them of science, they will be able to pick out the blue folder right away for their notes.

The time for school is quickly approaching. Getting good habits in place now will be a great start to getting the school year off to a great start.

Once you have put these items in place you should find that your days run more smoothly and everyone gets out the door on a positive note.

 

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For more information:
Contact: Stephanie L. H. Calahan
T: 309.825.7833 (day/evening)  309.826.5263 (alternate)
F: 309.422.7665
A:  8 Shoreline Court, Bloomington IL 61704
E: media@calahansolutions.com
W: www.calahansolutions.com
Media Room: www.CalahanSolutions.net
Bio: www.StephanieCalahan.com