We’ve had quite the beautiful summer here in the Puget Sound area, but the recent addition of back-to-school commercials reminds me that summer is coming to an end.

Side note:  I do not have any preferences about where to shop, but I have to say the Walmart Super Hero commercial makes me smile every time I see it.

Although I don’t have any children in the back-to-school range, some of my clients do.  I’ve experienced, through them, how getting everyone ready to head back into the classroom adds an extra layer of anxiety and stress to the last few lazy days of summer.    Here are some tips to get you started and make the transition a little smoother.

School Supplies:

1. 1. Get a copy of the school’s supply list.  I was able to find the school supply list for my local middle school on-line within just 30 seconds.  Doing a web search should result in a list similar to this (I searched “Lake Stevens School supply list”).  I also found a well-organized file of school supply lists at my local Staples, so check with your local retailers.
   2. Once you have the list, shop at home.  Chances are, you will have a good number of the supplies already on hand.  There’s no need to purchase a full set of supplies every year.
   3. If you have supplies you aren’t using (or don’t foresee using in the near future), donate them to a school or to a local Boys and Girls Club.  I’m certain they will be put to better use than taking up space in your home.
2. Clothes:
   1. Check with your school to see if there are dress codes that need to be followed. If so, ensure that you and your student reads and understands them prior to embarking on the clothes shopping adventure.  I can’t imagine much more frustrating than finding out your son/daughter have clothes they love, but can’t wear to school.
   2. Depending on the age of your student, you will more than likely need to go shopping with them.   Note I said “with them.”  Although it may be simpler to just do the shopping on your own, having your child with you may be more efficient.  If you shop with your child, you will ensure the clothes fit properly, they feel good in them, and are something they like and will wear.  So many of my clients spend inordinate amounts of time shopping/returning/shopping/returning.  The added stress and time generally isn’t worth it.
3. Classes:  Hopefully at this point, classes have been signed up for.  If not, get in touch with the school to set an appointment to register as soon as possible.
4. Extra-curricular activities:  Have all extra-curricular activities been signed up for?  Has the appropriate equipment been arranged for?  If not, now’s the time to start working through that process.
5. Transportation:  Most of my clients work at least part-time out of the home, so arranging transportation for any after-school activities is critical.
6. Health requirements:  Does the school require specific health tests or immunizations?  Again, a quick on-line search led to this information for our local school district.
7. Daily schedules:  Because our student’s days are generally less structured during the summer, some habits may have developed that need to be changed in order to be successful when school starts.  Now’s the time to start adjusting to getting up earlier, scheduling study time, and creating a new routine for getting to bed on time.

Changes in schedules tend to add a little stress to our lives, but some excellent pre-planning goes a long way to making the transition just a little easier!