Sending our littles back to school (or for the very first time) is a bitter-sweet feeling. As teachers and mamas, we can relate in more ways than one! Here's our top First Day of School Survival Tips.
1. If your little's bedtime has crept later with the longer days of Summer, start transitioning to an earlier bedtime at least one week before the first day.
2. Get your kiddo to bed early the night before the big day! She'll likely be nervous/excited and have a hard time getting to sleep. Be prepared to spend a little extra time with her at bedtime. Read a bedtime book about first day jitters, such as Wherever You'll Be or First Day Jitters.
3. This is a good time to get a temperature check on how your little is feeling about the big day. Explain what the day will be like from when she gets to school until the bell rings at the end of the day.
4. Get everything ready the night before. Clothes. Backpack. School supplies. Lunch box. Water bottle. Let your little help! It will get him excited and help calm jitters if he feels prepared. Our favorite places to grab school supplies include:
- First Day of School Outfit: Tea Collection or Boden
- Backpack: Crate & Kids
- Lunch Container: Austin Baby Collection (Don't let the name fool you, even adults love these lunchboxes!)
- Lunch Box: PackIt - The entire lunch box freezes so no ice pack needed! That's one less thing for your kiddo to lose, so you don't have to lose your sanity!
- Water Bottle: Yeti - This brand's products can stand the test of time and your kiddo's water is sure to stay cold all day! Be extra prepared and get your water bottle's engraved by Yellow Bess. She can use any font and even add icons to it!
- Personalized Labels: inchbug
5. Is your little taking the bus? Make sure she knows where it picks up in the morning and lets off in the afternoon and which bus to take (this is a big one!). If you don't know, you can look up the routes on your school's website and/or call the school to ask. If you have a long drive to and from school, or siblings in tow that will be waiting anxiously in long pick-up lines, grab a busy bag to keep the kiddos busy while in the car!
6. Brainstorm ideas with your little so that he knows what to do if he starts feeling nervous or uncomfortable.
7. Give her tips on how to introduce herself to a new friend, and what to do if she sees someone who looks lonely or is playing by herself. Role play with your child how to introduce themself to a new friend!
8. Start a first-day-of-school tradition to give your child something to look forward to either before school or after school (ex. get ice cream to talk about the day).
9. Leave a sweet note for your little in his lunchbox or backpack. An awesome list of ideas can be found at this site!
10. Just breathe, Mama. You're going to be okay. Your little one is going to be okay. It's going to be a great first day!
When is your little's first day back? Kick off the school year with this adorable and {FREE} first day of school sign.
