While you are enjoying your summer break you might have seen some “back to school” banners creep into the grocery store. Maybe a few clothing stores are promoting their upcoming back to school sales. You might have already been asked a dozen times “when do you start back to school”.
back to school … back to school … back to school
The chant is starting low, can you hear it? It will become loud as each relaxing summer day ends. Are you ready to start planning back to school? You might want to prepare a bit better than I did one year. Tired of lazy days and endless television shows, I grabbed books and declared it was the first day of school.
You would think I announced we were moving to China. The boys did not respond well to the abrupt change in their summer. We had no supplies, no schedule, and it all fizzled out before the week finished. Rather than spring the first day of school on any child and yourself, start planning back to school before it happens.
Planning Back to School:
1. Pick a date to start. If you go along with your county school schedule, plan around a family vacation, or just ready to get back to the books – pick a start date. If you have ever trained for a race you know the day of the race. You are well prepared and anticipating it. 5k or 26 miles – you know your start date.
2. Announce your start date. Let your students know when school is starting. Everyone should be prepared for the first day of a new start ~ you included! Every time I leave the dentist office they give me a “reminder card”, there are no surprises come cleaning day.
3. Be prepared. Gather the things you need to know before you start. It sounds funny but sure doesn’t feel funny when you have to end a science lab in the middle of the experiment because you have to run to Walgreens for materials. {now is the time to keep an eye on curriculum, crayola, paper products, and other sales}.
4. Be a Show-Off. As each Amazon box arrived we excitedly opened them together checking out the new homeschool supplies. The boys saw what the new school year would include. “Yes, you’ll be using this microscope this year.” Guess who wanted to start school before I was ready?
5. Celebrate. Plan to do something fun to kick off the new year. A change in breakfast {first day of school donuts are a hit here}, picnic with other homeschool friends, or a Redbox movie for the afternoon ~ plan some new school year fun. Rather than wear yourself down with hosting a presidential event; keep it small and meaningful (unless it’s your first year or last year homeschooling. Then make a big deal out of it).
6. Schedule a break. Pick out your rest stops before you start this journey. Everyone appreciates the highway sign “last rest stop for 32 miles”. Be flexible with your breaks, but plan on having them.
Enjoy your summer but be mindful to start planning for the new school year. With all of that planning be sure to plan in some flexibility. We all need a bit of room to breathe and be prepared for the unexpected.
Keeping track of your child’s homeschool work for you!
