Share your tips for getting through the back to school period - £200 voucher to be won.

[LibbyMumsnet]

Are you feeling prepared for your children going back to school? We all know this can be an exhausting time due to many reasons, such as buying new shoes and school equipment and let’s not forget the ‘I don’t want to go back to school’ tantrums. Don’t Buy her Flowers wants to know how you deal with the stress and what you do to get some time for yourself.

• Share your tips for making back to school a bit easier below to be entered into a prize draw.
• One lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice.

Here’s what Steph Douglas - Founder of Don’t Buy Her Flowers has to say: "September can leave me feeling absolutely depleted. If your kids were on summer holidays, you’ve just survived a long stint of juggling childcare, work responsibilities, trying to be ‘fun’ as well as ensure they don’t get scurvy. The start of term requires lots of admin – uniforms, labelling, finding emails with the vital information, and potentially dealing with the emotional fallout of new classes and teachers, and all while still trying to maintain all the other aspects of your life. It’s a lot.

The second biggest ‘reason’ our customers send Don’t Buy Her Flowers gifts is for TLC, so we see a lot of overwhelm but also support from one person encouraging the other to take some time for themselves.

Has anyone got any tips to make getting through September a bit easier?”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

Let they enjoy the summer break, you can spend that time getting organised with uniform, new school bag, stationery, they on the final week of the school holiday start to make things more structured, setting bedtimes, (bribery may be needed 😅) and waking up times. Then talk to them - ask about any worrys - meet up with school friends, and try to make them as independent as they can be in terms of getting dressed and putting shoes and socks on.

If it's the first time at a new school, do a couple of dry runs of the journey, they should have had a visit to their school, but this may be a distant memory, so go onto the school website to look at photos of the school, classrooms and dining area. If they are a returner - they will know the drill, but encourage, reassure, and talk to them and as if they unsure about anything.

Practice getting school uniform, socks and shoes on independently, vecrow, elastic and zips with large tags are always to look out for - look out for adjustable waist trousers and skirts, label everything - and don't worry - they will only see this and worry themselves. Teachers are well aware some children struggle with separation and will help these children adjust

You will be given a uniform list from school - check you have plenty of everything (saves washing midweek) label everything, buy velcrow shoes, look for trousers with adjustable waist - you can get the best fit.
Take them with you to buy a new lunchbox with a character they like (I find an insulated one works best to keep things cooler and fresher)
Talk to them about their worries !!

Definitely velcro shoes, elasticated waist trousers and plenty of love, encouragement and giving them confidence

Buy multi vitamins for you and them - extra vitamin C will help the immune system from the bugs, teach a good handwashing routine after going to the toilet, and put antibac wipes in with the packed lunch for before and after (yes Covid has had a lasting effect on us all - it maybe OTT but prevention is better than being laid low again)
Oh, and label everything with name and year.

I am all for velcro shoes and pumps for little fingers - and speed of getting dressed and undressed for PE, Set up a morning routine of getting up, breakfast and getting dressed - give yourself 10 minutes to spare in case of lost shoes/coat/bookbag/library book. Use a family planner on your wall for term dates, training days and before and after school clubs.

Batch cook, washing on a Sunday & shared calenders!

Practice the school run - then add 10 minutes for traffic and busy roads, practice getting the school uniform on and off - especially if it's their first year - and if its a tie for the first time - learn how to take of off with loosening the knot to slip over the head and put back on again.
Use a hallway calendar for dates, OOSH clubs, and training days - and when trip money or Red Nose day money has to be taken into school - and highlight non uniform days - nothing worse then sending them back in full uniform on World Book Day 🙄

Make a checklist on your fridge/door/calendar to remind you when things are due (PE, Swimming, Clubs, trips...) I always write them down as soon as I know about them, and am prepared the day before with the necessary equpment/money/uniform

I never thought I'd be someone that uses a family calendar as I've always loved my diary too much. But I've started to use a weekly family planner and it means that at a glance I can see who needs to be where and on which day and what time and it has helped keep us all organised for back to school and all the other activities starting up again.

everything labelled with the stick on labels you can write on, use these on shoes, pe kit and all uniform and especially the coat. Velcro and elastic fasteners are your friend !

Don't leave shoe shopping until the last minute on the grounds their feet might grow, you'll have a very stressful trip around your local shopping centre!

Those stick in name labels are a godsend. Stick them on anything and everything- uniform, drink bottles, lunchboxes etc. No more wasting time with iron in or sew on labels.

Do as much as you can the night before-bags packed, uniform out,lunch made etc.