Mumsnet users share their back to school tips with Tesco F&F

[EllieMumsnet]

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We know many of you are currently on your knees with end of term shenanigans, and the summer hols are looming ahead....but in the spirit of being organised way ahead of time we would love to know your tips on being prepared when the back to school period comes. With the return of routine comes the return of 6am starts and mornings spent throwing together lunches while throwing the right uniform on the right child - so Tesco would like to hear your tips for ensuring your family are prepared for school each day.

Tesco F&F say: "All kids come home with stains - it's the sign of an active day. But thanks to Tesco school uniforms special stain-repel technology and 100 day guarantee you can be rest assured that your kids will look as good on the first day everyday."

How do you save yourself time and unnecessary stress during the week? Do you have a go-to routine to ensure you’re prepared the night before? Or maybe you rely on a handful of hacks to keep your mornings running smoothly? Are your children’s uniforms kept in good nick for the whole year thanks to a perfect after school formula?

Whatever tips you follow, Tesco F&F want to hear them. Share them below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Tesco voucher for a store.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

edited by MNHQ

Clothes all laid out the night before. Lunchbox washed and ready. Water bottle in the right place. Most importantly, to make sure I have my debit card and house keys in my bag! I have been locked out of the house more than once because I forgot to put my house keys in my bag!

My child has a packed lunch, so we always have fish fingers in the fridge - it's the go-to solution for a quick fish finger sandwich.

We always get changed out of our school uniform as soon as we get home from school.

then I lay out the clothes for the next day ready for the morning as well as getting book bag and PE kit and anything else ready.

Fill out any forms straight away and put them straight back into the book bag.

Also use a stamptastic to stamp all clothes including inside sock bands! Wouldn't be without one now.

Ugh, agree with others, DO NOT want to think about this yet when not even broken up yet! Tesco you have royally pissed me off! Not dreading going back or anything, when it rolls around I’m sure I’ll be ready for a new season, but can’t we just enjoy this one first please???

Clothes laid out the night before, water bottles filled, sandwich filling done (so I just add it to the bread in the morning). Breakfast cereal and plates on the counter top, Gym bag and school bag next to the door. One child wakes up 5 mins before the other so they are not on top of one another in the bathroom.

Get up before your children. You get a cup of tea in peace and can get essentials done much quicker.
Mine are teenagers so bathroom time can be an issue. We have a set order and timeslot each. It may sound regimented but honestly saves so many arguments.
Since they were tiny every item of school kit has it's place which it is put in ASAP after coming back each day. This saves school shoes being left out in the garden in the rain.... Mostly anyway

I make the lunch night before.
Each dd has a school uniform drawer so everything is in there except pants. They get it out ready the night before.
Bags are emptied as soon as they are in from school.
No t.v. or technology in the mornings, they can read a book or bounce on trampoline once they are 100% ready.

I am very organised person, but I do not prepare uniform in the evening. I make sure to buy 3-5 of everything and wash and iron everything on weekends. In the morning children can easy found what they need. Getting up before them helps me have a cup of coffee and sign all the letters for school. There most useful tip for back to school is one week before begining of the school go to bed early and wake up early (let your body adjust to the earlier mornings), so when it is time for school in the morning there will be no tantrum and moaning.

Don't bother with labels just use laundry pen on everything they own including gloves, pe bags the lot. I think generic uniform is cheaper than most clothes so I have always bought quite a lot and they haven't got changed after school. It's much less hassle to pay for dinners, but if we're economising I make the pack lunches with dinner or after if our pasta or potatoes are becoming salad for next days lunch. Kids hang out their uniforms and bags belong in the hall.

I'm an ideal world, uniform is washed and ironed the night before, lunches made, bags done etc, but this rarely lasts beyond the first few weeks of term. In reality, I usually have the bags done, but I'm often making pack lunches and ironing uniform whilst screeching at them to eat their breakfast, brush their teeth etc. I mostly just fly by the seat of my pants. What I do make sure I always do though is to sit down quietly with a cup of tea after they've all gone, to calm the fuck down.

Make sure all unifoym ironed, bags packed and shoes clean.
Make sure kids get back into a decent sleep routine.

My main tip is to leave one school top and jumper unworn until school photo day - even if it's clean on the day our polo shirts have always developed a certain grime by October! Having new means they always look smart in the school photos.

Feels a little early to be talking about school again ;)
Have a few more items of clothing than you think you’ll need if you can so there is no panic if breakfast is spilt or you don’t get round to washing. Label everything when you buy it.
Buy as much uniform as you can in the supermarket in the holidays as no extra trip is needed to get it then.

Make a list at the start of the holidays and check items off it, especially if you dc is starting secondary school!
Set aside a day to get everything prepared and labelled before they start back at school.

The best tip I've ever come across re keeping primary school uniform presentable is:

Vodka!

It shifts whiteboard marker!

So, when your dc come home with whiteboard marker all over their uniforms, whip em off, soak the mark liberally with vodka, and bung it in the wash before the vodka dries. If it dries before you have time to wash it, soak it with more vodka. This only works with fresh marks, though.

Make sure you don't wait until the last minute to buy school shoes!
Buy uniform (non iron if possible) in good time, and make sure it is labelled.
Get school bag, and new pencil case and contents, early in the holiday and don't forget where you've stored them!
Make packed lunches the night before, and make sure any snacks/drinks that they have to take are readily available.

I made these display noticeboards a few years ago, perfect for letters, party invites, reminders and the lovely creations they bring home! Definitely handy having them on display rather than forgotten in a bag/drawer 😃

Buy things click and collect to save hassle.... of visiting stores without the right sizes ( don’t live in easy access of a big store) oh no can’t do that with Tesco any more as they have stopped f&f online.

V angry about this... will be Sainsbury’s al the way now.

P.s it’s the first day of the holiday!

I make sure I don’t leave it to the last minute to buy uniform just in case it’s out of stock. I also get several sets, which works out quite reasonably if it’s unbranded.

My boy is exploding out of all his clothes so I’m happy to have been able to buy extra large size trousers. Buying at this time of year is so much more preferable than joining the mid and end of holiday rugby scrum, or picking over the meagre leftovers in September.
I love Tesco because I was able to get my boy kitted out with the whole uniform including school embroidered sweatshirts, polo shirts, socks, underwear and PE shorts. The only thing I wasn’t able to get was the school specific PE tshirt. Altogether a productive trip.

Buy ALL new uniform in july and get it all named ready. If worried about growth spurrts - just buy a bigger size. otherwise most places run out in august and you will be stuck with none.

pack bags night before too

always have a spare.
take shoes off and kept in a particular place usually by the door.less picky more so we know they are always there ready or where to find them.
trying to get the to change and lay or hand to wash their uniform but sometimes this just isn't going to happen.to will then be asking them if they no they have clean for tomorrow.
lay out or find all uniform the night before
bag packed the ngiht before.
buy them an alarm clock with a radio.
remember all kids are different.some will be able to spring out of bed.some will be grumpy buggers.some lighter in mood.some always late and some too perfect so need to be told to just slow down.so try not to campare and help out all in their own way but stick to steady ground rules for all as a base.
home work is done as soon as we can but straight in from school is usually(especially in this heat) just flop or snack for half hour.
a promise ofmcdonalds lunch after uniform shop is grand idea.
at certain ages buy the one your getting and the next size up as very soon they need a bigger one.but at least you've found a style and fit suitable.

I went to our local supermarket superstore this morning and already there's two Isles dedicated to 'back to school', we are only on day two of the summer break!. I certainly don't succumb to the pressure selling thing and just buy a few bits and pieces throughout the summer holiday ready for going back.

I have enough uniform to be able to get by without a midweek wash. I get clothes ready the night before and packed lunches done just before I go to bed. Sunday is shoe polishing day and ironing if required.

This is my eldest sons 1st year at school so I suppose I don't know if my tips will work as I haven't yet tested them but my advice would be to buy little bits when you can so that you aren't suddenly hut with a big expense. Label everything as soon as you buy it so you aren't sat for ages labelling everything. Buy one size up so that when the uniform begins to get a bit snug you have the next size ready.
If you are on a budget there is loads if good quality clothes at the supermarkets.
Lay everything out the night before, but even better, have a weeks worth of uniforms set out for each day with everything they need for that day e.g p.e kit.
Prepare pack lunches the night before.
Freeze water bottles the night before so on warm days, their water cold not warm by the time they need it.

I always have as much done the night before. bags packed and munches boxes done ready for the morning. I always have their clothes laid out ready for my kids.