Didn't last school year just finish?! How is it already "Back to School" season?! Where did summer go?!

If you're like many families this time of year, you're asking these questions several times a day by now. The time to prepare to go back to school is upon us, whether we're ready for it or not.

The good news is, that doing so now makes the transition from summer vacation to the new semester much easier than not. And the better news is that CareFinder has some tips to get your family started!

Debrief

The carefree days of summer, filled with beach trips, hikes, vacations, or camps, are hard to let go of. Even if your children enjoy school, all the fun they had during break can make returning to the classroom difficult. One way to ease the transition is to celebrate and commemorate your family's favorite memories from summer! Create a scrapbook, build a diorama from collected seashells, recreate a tasty restaurant dish at home, or simply enjoy retelling jokes and stories that made this season memorable. Not only is this almost like having all that fun once again, it also serves as a type of closure, creating a clean slate for the school year ahead.

Practice Your Route

Getting your child into the same routine they'll have once school starts again is always a good idea. And part of that is the route they'll take to get there! Whether school is within walking distance, requires a bus ride, or a few transfers on the train, start mapping it out now and practice whichever portions are feasible. This is especially helpful if your children will start at a new school. There's already a lot of anxiety about that kind of endeavor to begin with; at least you can alleviate the fear of getting lost!

Shop

Back-to-school shopping is not a novel idea! But it truly can help make the idea of returning to the classroom a bit easier to stomach — especially for less-than-enthusiastic scholars. You'll of course want to ensure you have the basics covered: New bag, new shoes, uniform, etc. But when it comes to the smaller things — pens, pencils, notebooks, erasers — give your kids a little leeway in the items they choose. Japan is known for its unique stationery, after all! Letting children personalize their back-to-school supplies gives them a sense of agency and control, giving them confidence as they start the year.

Set Goals

Naturally, you'll want your child to get good grades and be well-behaved. But for this exercise, try to think of accomplishments with your children that fall outside of standard academic achievements. For instance, maybe they will start to learn a new instrument or a language that isn't required in their curriculum. For shy children, perhaps a goal could be to talk to one new schoolmate a day. Maybe it's an outrageous number of books to read before winter break or something as simple as not losing any pencils in the first month. The point is for these goals to provide additional incentive to look forward to school!

Back-to-School Promo Code!

New members can receive their first month's subscription for free. Use the code FIRSTMONTHFREE_BTS2022 at check out and save!