We know, not everyone loves hearing those special three words: Back to School. The hardest part of getting the kids ready for back to school is making sure that they have all of their supplies, new clothes and that they get back into the mindset and schedule needed for school. To make things easier on you, we've compiled a list of Back to School Tips that will help you and your child get organized and ready for the upcoming school year.

Back to School Tips for Parents

Connect with the Teacher

Each year when a child finds out who their new teacher will be, it can create both excitement and fear. Learning how a new teacher works can be scary for a child, especially if the teacher is new to the school or has a reputation for being strict or tough. One of the best parent tips for back to school is to allow your child to get to know their teacher ahead of time by setting up a meeting or phone call before the first day of class. If that's not possible, you can show your child photos of the teacher so that they feel more familiar with them when they head into class. If you know other children who have had the teacher before, you can ask them to share stories with your child about what the class was like.

Go to the Open House
More parent tips for back to school aside from learning a new teacher, are having your child learn how to get to their new classroom, where the closest restrooms are, and how to get to other areas of the school like the lunchroom or art class. By taking advantage of your school's open house, you give your child the opportunity to explore their new classroom and ease fears about the first day.

Re-connect with Friends

Sometimes over the summer children miss out on opportunities to interact with some of their friends from school. Reach out to parents of your child's friends and see if they have the same teacher as your child. It's a great time to also connect with parents who may be able to be in a car pool with you this school year. Consider setting up a pre-school play date or going to the open house together!

Ease into the Routine
No one likes the switch from laid-back summer routines to the structured routine of being back at school. Ease your child into going back to school by having morning run-through's where everyone gets up, gets ready and gets out the door just like they would need to on a school day. Not only is this great for kids, but it's also great for parents!

A Few Back to School Organization Tips

The kids aren't the only ones that need to get ready for school-it requires a lot of work from parents to make sure they are ready!

Clean the House

Few things make us feel more organized than cleaning our homes. As you are cleaning, go through your child's closet, playroom, study area and backpack from last year. Getting rid of items that are no longer needed will allow you to take an objective look at what is needed to be prepared for this school year. Remember to order new clothing labels for this year's back to school clothing!

Buy & Label School Supplies

As the year begins, you will be getting a list of school supplies from your child's school or teacher. Make sure to take your child with you to make sure that they are familiar with all of the supplies that they will need in the upcoming year. Ensure that none of your items are lost this year by using School Name Labels to identify all of your child's items. You can design them yourself and add the child's name, room number, teacher's name… whatever works best for you!

Have Your Paperwork Ready to Go

You child may need new vaccinations this year, or they may have paperwork that needs to be turned in on the first day of school. Prepare a folder with all of the necessary documents, and make sure to keep a copy at home for yourself in case anything gets lost. If you child has allergies or other medical issues that teachers need to know about, make sure that you have that included in your paperwork. You can also label your child's items, like their lunchbox and backpack, with allergy labels for added protection.