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

My tips are:

Have a whiteboard where important dates and any things that need to be done written on it;

Check bag(s) the night before and make sure they are ready for the next day e.g. like homework done, any letters that need your attention etc. ;

Organise thier uniform night before as well.

Get them back into the bedroom/sleeping routine the week beforehand, otherwise it's a nightmare trying to get them back into it the night before!

Making sure you have everything they need before the term starts and spares as they always lose something

Its all about the prep and routine. Start the bedtime routine a weejk before and slowly introduce things. We all struggle after a long holiday

I start early, I make list of what they really need, it’s easy to go buy all this stuff they don’t need. I tend to buy quality as I find buying the cheap uniforms means buying again and again. I buy distinctive or I label items so it can’t go walkies. I shop around and bargain hunt often picking things up all year round. I buy healthy snaks and make healthy luches that will freeze in advance Then I set it all out ready so thers no surprises on the day. Kids know when they get home they have to put bags in a certain place,luch boxs in kichen notes in the letter rack. Its all about routine.

get organised early.

What takes five mins at a night time seems to take 30mins in a morning! Loads of prep..
Uniforms ironed ( a week's worth hung up)
Lunches done at night and in the fridge
Frozen drink overnight to cool it
Pe bags washed and repacked the same night. On pegs by the door.
I synch letter and dates to our phone calender.. we share with GPs so someone is usually around for a music show etc.
Lower standards lol.. I'll sponge stains off rather than get chanaged fully. Wet wipes, face and shoes!

school returns in couple of weeks, and I miss non iron clothes, teenage Dcs likes to pick and buy own clothes...

Prepare yourself nice and early so that you can enjoy the summer. A week before make a list and start to bring it all together.

Uniform out the night before, hooks for schools shoes and school bags in the porch, no tv, toys, tablets until they’re completely ready to go...
still have occasional ‘mornings from hell’ obvs but it’s normally ok

I always make sure a clean uniform is hanging on DS3s wardrobe door at night. I always check with him that he’s got the right sport kit packed for the next day and his school bag is packed with anything he needs for the next day.

It makes mornings so much easier if he doesn’t has to scrabble around trying to find his tennis trainers and a calculator at the last minute!

I also repair any little pulls in his school jumpers or in-stitched seams as soon as I spot them rather than putting it off, washing the uniform and forgetting. He’s a fiddler and a small gap in the seam of a trouser leg becomes a big repair job once he spots it and stinks his fingers through.

Oh Lord. So many spelling mistakes in my post. Sorry

Don't forget name labels. Don't leave everything until the last minute.

Mine are teenagers now and sort themselves out in terms of organisation and there's only going to be one in uniform from September as the older two are in the 6th form. When they were younger, the best thing I did was have a large storage box on a shelf for each of them. In this went the school bag, lunch box, PE kit, book bag etc, depending on what stage of school they were at. So after school everything went into their box and the next day it was easy to find. When I washed PE kit, signed letters, organised trip money etc I put it directly into their box so in the morning they had everything in one place.

Don't leave it too late to start talking about school if your DC is moving up from nursery. Make it a part of your everyday conversation. Get them excited about it & talk about what their days will be like etc

I like to make sure everything is ready the night before. Ie outfits laid out, lunches made and bags packed

Always help child get up early a week before school starts to get him/her into the routine!

Try to get everything sorted the night before and I've stopped ironing. If clothes are taken out of the washing machine as soon as it's finished and hung up they are fine. Life's too short for ironing!

My tip is to get everything in the sale in advance of the summer holidays. Then you always have supply if you need it! Also get everything out the night before school so no one is rushing trying to find a clean skirt etc!

Have at least 4/ 5 shirts and trousers, name everything, but robust shoes for youngest. I usually buy shoes about 2 weeks before, take advantages of offers, look for discount codes. I buy shirts early so they are ready. Get everything ready the night before.

I am usually so grateful to get them back to school that I make sure I am prepared the week before. New shoes, new uniforms and all pens and pencils replaced and ready for the new school year. I also make sure my alarm is back on so that there is no fear of us sleeping in

I always used to get the kids involved in choosing their folders and bags etc just to make it less of a struggle on the first day back :) and I did the rest as soon as the shops started selling the uniforms.

Making lunchboxes the night before, and having the breakfast stuff out on the table before I go to bed. Makes mornings so much less stressful!

We had wooden storage boxes in the hall for the kids school bags/pe bags to go into as soon as they got home - that way we knew where to find them the next day. Bags were frisked daily for letters/invites. Lunch boxes were emptied as soon as the kids got in from school and washed out ready for the next day. In the morning the tv and any other screens were banned - that way everyone could get ready without any distractions. It was also useful for everyone to have set times to get up and use the bathroom to avoid clashes.

We're already all set. We bought uniform at 20% off event, and new bag and shoes at an Outlet centre. Same items as on the High Street, but around half the price.
When time gets closer to being back, make sure children get back into routine, with set bedtime again and getting up at a more civilised time (I.e. Before mid day!) and make sure bag has essentials like pencil case and contents, any books, lunch etc that's needed. It's still a shock when the alarm goes on that first day back, but at least we know everything is covered!