Parents’ Checklist for Back to School

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Back to school time can be just as tough on parents as it is on kids. I created a “Back to Campus Shopping Checklist” for GetButtonedUp.com and just about now grade school students are getting supply lists sent to them. But what about a checklist for parents? For that I turned to my mother-in-law, Irene Berman. She shares my love of lists and stationary.

She has taught public school for over 30 years in New York and Chicago. This past June she retired and I’ve never seen anyone so upset to leave a job. She really loves finding creative ways to teach kids things for the first time. It’s an amazing trait – I could never do it.

Here’s her Back to School Checklist for Parents:

  1. Take advantage of back to school clothes sales in July and August.
  2. Organize closets to help kids get ready faster in the morning.
  3. Get back to a school time bed routine. You might want to practice with an alarm clock.
  4. Try to get your child’s supply list and shop during sales because Halloween items come out soon.
  5. Update your calendar with school holidays and events.
  6. Check your immunization and medical records to make sure they are up to date.
  7. Make your sure you have emergency phone numbers and contacts for the school to reach.
  8. Create an IN/OUT box for school notice and forms.
  9. Get your home ready by organizing a quiet place for your child do do his homework.
  10. Create a homework box-with all supplies needed for homework…NO EXCUSES!!!! Also, if your kids are a little younger and need a helping hand with a certain area of learning, you could visit somewhere like Little Thinkers Center to get them back into learning!

Checklist for Keeping Your Child Safe

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Child safety is on every parent’s mind these days. The Casey Anthony case and the story of the Brooklyn boy who went missing and was found brutally murdered have parents hugging their children a little tighter at night.

Protecting children is a huge worry for a large number of parents, but it is important to remember that there are even dangers in your own home. For example, did you know that in the USA approximately 1 in 3 homes with children have guns? If you have a gun at home, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child is aware of some essential rules and safety requirements surrounding firearms. To learn more about teaching your child basic gun safety, you might want to read this article.

Dangers in the home to one side, would you know what to do if your child disappeared? I come from a family of police officers — so when I was a kid knowing what to do in an emergency was second nature to us. But for those of you without a cop for a father…here’s a little insight from another former police officer and author, Carole Moore.

What Every Parent Needs to Know About Their Child

by Carole Moore

It’s almost impossible to understate the role time plays when a child goes missing. Could you instantly provide police with everything they need to look for your child if he or she disappeared? If you’re like most people, the answer is no.

The U.S. Department of Justice says that in an average year about 800,000 children are reported missing. The good news is that the vast majority of them turn up alive and safe. Your best strategy is to be prepared, even if the odds are on your side.

Here’s what experts say you should have at a minimum to be prepared for the unthinkable: Read more

I Wrote an Ebook for Busy Moms

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I’m thrilled to announce that I wrote an ebook called “Top 10 Lists Every Mom Needs“!

I designed the lists for Enough Time Moms, which is a new site dedicated to helping busy moms save time and money, while being more productive.

Some of the lists include: Ways to Save Time in the Morning, The Best Free Apps for Moms,  and A List of Healthy Snacks to take on trips. Although the ebook is geared towards moms — any busy person can benefit from most of the lists.

Please check out the Enough Time Moms Facebook page and sign up for their newsletter to download the ebook.

I’d love to hear what you think!

Must-Have Pregnancy Clothing List

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It must be pregnancy season or something — I know a whole bunch of ladies having babies lately!  Some women use this time as an excuse to “let it all hang out.” Well, my friends – it is not. You should take pride in your look at every point in your life. I know that this can be hard, as sometimes things happen that you have no control over so you don’t always want to wear your best.

Maternity clothes can be expensive but there are tricks for stretching your existing wardrobe and cost-effective ways to add to it. Marisa Moss, founder of MineForNine.com, gave me these secrets to share with all of you.

Save yourself a lot of time and stress by “editing” your closet ASAP in your first trimester.

1. Neatly fold and store all the pants without any stretch

2. Put all the dresses you already have to “suck-in” to wear in the back of the closet

3. Hide all your tailored tops Read more

Checklist for Parenting

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Our trip to Miami was fabulous. We slept in, went to the beach, swam in the ocean, read, ate great food and just relaxed. Until we got on our Continental flight from Miami to Newark…

I don’t know anything about being a parent. I’m not one yet. But I know how NOT to be a parent and I learned that valuable lesson on Flight 44 — thanks to a family of four that sat in front of us.

The parents were traveling with their two and four-year-old daughters and completely ignored those girls the whole trip. For that excruciating two hour and 28 minute flight – one of the girls was whining, while the other one was screaming at the top of her lungs…the entire time. I’m not kidding. And the parents were zoning out – doing nothing — literally nothing. I was feeling my blood pressure rise.

I don’t blame the kids at all – they are innocent in this story. It’s the parents who I have a problem with. They acted like they were in their own living room instead of on a crowded plane with 200 other people. They were rude, selfish and inconsiderate to me and to their kids.

I’m not a parent yet and I’m not pretending to know what it’s like to be one. So I’ve enlisted the help of my parent friends for this checklist for good parenting:

Jene Luciani, Gigi’s Mom

  • Count to ten before reacting in a high pressure situation
  • Always find time for laughter; at the end of the day, a happy child trumps all else
  • Always be as prepared as possible…especially when going on a trip! Bring everything you could possibly need in any situation – make lists! Read more