Believe it or not, it’s back to school season again! Getting back into the swing of things can be one of the hardest parts of starting a new school year especially after spending the summer months without class schedules, homework, and after school activities. Whether you’re preparing your child for their very first day of school or it’s just another year of classes, we understand this can be a challenging time. With less than a month to go before the start of the new school year, we put together a back-to-school checklist so that all parents can have plenty of time to prepare before sending their kids off for their first day of school.
Set a Routine Early
All parents with school-aged kids understand those first few weeks of school are a shock to the system especially after spending the summer months with relaxed bedtimes and slower schedules. It’s important to make sure you set a solid routine for your child during the first few weeks of school, including picking a concrete bedtime and designated homework time. Most children between the ages of 5 and 14 should get between 9 and 11 hours of sleep a night, so plan accordingly. Even better, start putting your child to bed 10 minutes earlier each night leading up to the first day to help ease into this new routine early.
Create a Study Space
Creating a designated study space for your child where they can do their homework stress-free is important for their overall learning and can really set them up for success for the year. Ideally this should be an area that is quiet with plenty of surface space but also central in the home where you can be available to help when needed. Also don’t forget to stock up their space with extra pencils and supplies that they might need for studying since many kids won’t remember to keep their backpack stocked with supplies throughout the year.
Spend Time Meal Planning
Whether your child will eat lunch at the school cafeteria every day or will bring lunch from home, it can be helpful to spend some extra time prepping and planning for school lunches to help make mornings stress-free. The more you can prepare the night before, the better, and if you have older kids, task them with prepping their own lunches. Also, make sure when you are school supply shopping to remember to grab essential lunch box items like food storage containers, water bottles, and ice packs to make lunch prep a breeze!
Is It Necessary to Shop for Back-to-School Clothes?
It’s important to keep students looking sharp as they start off a new school year but it’s not necessary to break the bank on a lot of new outfits. A few weeks before school starts, take inventory of what items they have outgrown in their closet and make a list of items that are actually needed for the new school year, including shoes, socks and underwear. If you have elementary aged kids, remember that they have recess each day and their clothes are inevitably going to get stained and ruined over time, so it’s recommended to not spend too much on their back to school looks. Another great tip is to wait to buy winter clothes for later in the school year, especially in Florida where true winter temperatures don’t really show up until January! This will allow you to take advantage of some great deals closer to the holidays.
Take Advantage of Florida Tax Free Week
The 2022 Florida Back to School sales tax holiday is taking place from July 25 – August 7 this year and is another great way to save a little extra as you plan for the new school year. Here is a brief overview of what is considered tax-free:
- Clothing, footwear, and certain accessories for $100 or less per item, including wallets, handbags, backpacks, fanny packs, and diaper bags (adult clothing as well!)
- School uniforms less than $100 per item
- Certain school supplies selling for $50 or less per item
- Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles that cost less than $30 per item
- The first $1,500 of the sales price of personal computer-related accessories purchased for non-commercial home or personal use.
We hope this list has been helpful in thinking through what is best for your family when it comes to preparing for a new school year. Our team at Marsh Landing Realty wishes all students on the First Coast a successful 2022-2023 school year!
Download our FREE printable to help you get started on your back to school planning!
