Nine steps to a smart start

With a little planning, you can make going back to school simple and stress-free.

As the lazy days of summer slip away, it will soon be time to put away the beach chairs and corner lemonade stands, and prepare for going back to school. Here are some tips for making the transition easier.

Adjust to the new routine

Ease into the school-year schedule. Getting back into the school routine can be a challenge for everyone in the family. To make the adjustment easier, start early.

Start a family calendar in a common area where each family member can write down his or her activities.

A few weeks before school starts, move bedtime back to an earlier time.
Put a positive spin on going back to school. Talk about the fun things your child will be learning, the old friends he'll see and the new friends he'll make.
If your child is anxious about starting the next grade, reassure her that other children have these feelings too.
Don't make plans for big trips right before the start of school.
Establish school-day schedules for homework, TV, baths and bedtime.
Arrange play-dates with friends from school to re-establish connections that may have been dropped for the summer, or to create new ones.

Hit the books

For the younger child, reading books together about going back to school is a good way to start conversations about his excitement and fears. To get you started, here are some suggestions for elementary school–age children:

Berenstain, Stan and Jan. The Berenstain Bears Go to School (Random House, 1978)
Brown, Marc. Arthur's Teacher Trouble (Trumpet, 1986)
Bridwell, Norman. Clifford's First School Day (Scholastic, 1999)
Haywood, Carolyn. Back to School With Betsy (Odyssey Classics, reissue edition, 2004)
Howe, James. The Day the Teacher Went Bananas (Penguin, 1987)
Jackson, Ellen. It's Back to School We Go! (Millbrook Press, 2003)
Parish, Herman. Amelia Bedelia Goes Back to School (Harper Festival, 2004)
Rey, Margret. Curious George Goes to School (Houghton Mifflin, 1989)

For the middle school child anxious about making the transition to high school, here is a book bound to help with easing the anxiety:

Spethman, Martin J., and Klein, Chuck. High School Bound: The Ultimate Guide for High School Success and Survival (Westgate Publishing & Entertainment, 1997)

Get organized

Take advantage of the slower pace during your time away from school to set up for the busy school year ahead.

Many schools send out school information and a packet of forms to fill out before school starts. If you can discipline yourself to fill out the paperwork several days before it's due, you'll avoid a last minute panic.
Have the necessary immunization records available for easy reference.
Update school emergency contact and health information for the coming year.
As you read through all the school information, mark important dates (such as Back-to-School Night, parent-teacher conference week and school holidays) on the family calendar.
Start a folder for school newsletters and other papers so that you can easily find them and refer to them if necessary.
Establish a "get ready the night before" policy. Pick clothes for the next day and pack the backpack every evening before bedtime, and you'll save precious time in the morning.

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Comments from GreatSchools.net readers

07/30/2008:

"I really like the transition information!! Super job!! "

07/30/2008:

"All pretty good advice with the exception of 'Sneak vegetables like lettuce, cucumber or zucchini slices into sandwiches.' This was almost laughable! Our children are [typically conscious and] aware of what goes in their mouths, and we arent talking adding 'invisible' ingredients (e.g., cauliflower in the mashed potatoes). "

08/10/2004:

"Thank you for making the transition for school easier for our modern day children. It's a tremendous help to get them back into the learning mode. Hats off to you.... "

09/12/2003:

"When my son Shane was 3, his older brother Jarrett would have homework. So, afterschool we had our homework time with Jarrett doing his school assigned homework, and Shane doing his 'homework', which consisted of coloring, shapes, and the basics. When Shane started school he was already used to 'homework time'. This is a simple tip for parents who already have one child in school, and a sibling starting school in the future. "