Back-to-School Checklist for Parents

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Back-to-school time can be just as tough on parents as it is on kids. Individual schools provide supply lists to their students, but what about a checklist for parents? For that I turned to my assistant and content producer, Megan Duncan. She shares my love of lists and stationery , and has one child entering first grade and another in pre-k.

There’s a lot for parents to learn as their kids enter their formal education years, and Megan has tips to share from her experience so far.

Here’s her Back to School Checklist for Parents:

Closet Clear Out: Look through your child’s clothes with them. Purge anything that doesn’t fit and make a list of new clothing items you’ll need to purchase. Then take advantage of bac- to-school clothes sales in July and August.
Closet Reorganization: Organize closets to help kids get ready faster in the morning. Here’s a great guide for parents with younger kids, including how many of each clothing item your kid needs (it’s not as much as you’d imagine!)
Get To Bed: Get back to a school bedtime routine. Sleep is super important and so many students don’t get enough sleep each night. Adjusting a sleep schedule might take a few weeks so it’s best to get started now. (And check out my Inside Scoop episode with Julie Wright to learn why sleep is your superpower.)
Save on Supplies: Find your child’s supply list and shop during sales because Halloween items come out soon.
Update Your Calendar: Put all the school holidays and events on your family calendar so everyone knows what’s happening when. Don’t for get meet-your-teacher days, curriculum nights, sport and activity registration deadlines too — set reminders so you remember all the important dates.
Schedule a Checkup: Check your immunization and medical records to make sure they are up to date. Pediatricians are typically busy with a back-to-school rush so call now for an appointment, and set a calendar reminder at the end of the school year to schedule their next physical in a year.
Create A Personal Post Office: Create an IN/OUT box for school notices and forms. Get your kids involved if they’re interested. Afterall, they’ll need to know where to put and find these forms.
Set Up A Homework Station: Get your home ready by organizing a place for your child to do homework. Create a homework box with all supplies needed for homework… NO EXCUSES!!!! That might be a few sharpened pencils and an eraser, or a laptop/iPad.
Do A Dress Rehearsal: Make sure your child can open their lunch, water bottle and backpack. They’ll also need to know how to unzip and rezip their jackets. This will save time for the adults at the school and will be greatly appreciated. It’s also important your child knows how they’ll get home — bus, walk or pick up? If they’re riding the bus you can write their bus number inside their backpack in case they forget it.

I want to know, parents — what would you add to this list?

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