It’s time to go back-to-school! Summer days are far behind and the sounds of school buses marks the beginning of a new school year. From school lunches to organization, Tampa Bay Moms share some of their best tips to getting ready for this new school year.
Here are 10 Back-to-School tips by Tampa Bay area Moms:
1. Submitted by Sarah Painter of Pinellas Park, FL
“We have a “command station” in our house with mailboxes for each person (we use the daily system from pottery barn). Below that are hooks that hang low enough for my young children to hang their backpacks. All school related papers that need attention go in the mailboxes and backpacks get hung right below so everything
stays in one space. No more searching for lost school necessities!”
2. Submitted by Loundy Bennett of Brandon, FL
“Use the days of the week clothing organizer and get your kids clothes ready on Saturday/Sunday night for the following week.”
3. Submitted by Marie Bristoll of New Port Richey, FL
“Each kid has an area to put their items and a place for paperwork that needs to be signed. Lunches get made
the night before with the kids help, so they don’t come home saying they didn’t like lunch.”
“Stock up on school supplies throughout the year and keep them in a bin. That way you have stuff on hand as needed without paying big bucks.”
4. Submitted by Kathy Jorden of Wimauma, FL
“Organize your child’s school papers by using hanging file folders. Assign each child a folder to keep their school items organized. If possible get breakfast ready the night before for a stress-free morning.
“Freeze your child’s juice box and let it thaw out in their lunch bag, that way it doubles as a freezer pack and it will be thawed out by lunch time.”
5. Submitted by Autumn Cox of Lutz, FL
“At the start of each week I am going to make a list of important times (pick up, field trips, doctors appointments, PTA ext) then I will take a picture of it and have that picture be the picture on my phone “locked screen” as my daily reminder.”
6. Submitted by Mandi Mella of Tampa, FL
“Always prepare for the next day the night before. We devote 30 mins to lunch prep, preparing clothes & signing any papers for the next day. It makes for a smooth morning.”
7. Submitted by Cari Daley of Zephyrhills, FL
“We love the zip lock compartment containers for school lunches. Helps keep things separated and no plastic baggies! I make a list of what food items need to be in a lunch and my kids make it themselves.”
8. Submitted by Irene Froehlich of Tampa, FL
“I prep all the parts of the lunches in their baggies on Sunday and every morning it’s my daughter’s job to pack her lunch for school. She’s been doing this since Kindergarten.
Also, we used to have struggles in the AM about her clothes not matching oråÊbeing weather appropriate. While I didn’t want to stifle her independence- I also wanted her to dress reasonably for school; so I would choose 5 sets of outfits for her on Sunday- and she could choose which one she wanted to wear for the day. Win-win.”
9. Submitted by Melissa Sansom of Lutz, FL
“Let them help with shopping & prepping their lunches so they are MORE likely to eat it.åÊGet as much done the night before to make the mornings smooth as possible.”
10. Submitted by Krisha Collins of Largo, FL
“Let them choose as much as you can so things don’t seem beyond their control.”
Want more tips? Check out our article on 7 Questions to Ask Your Child’s Teacher.
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