10 essentials to make the back to school transition seamless.

It’s hard enough to get kids to school each day during the term. But then try sending them back after almost two months off school.

It can be an exercise in frustration, to say the least.

Bribery aside (I’ll give you $20 if you get out of bed in the next two minutes…) there are lots of ways to help your children transition back to school, with a minimum of fuss.

Well, with as little fuss as possible…

1. Talk about school during the holidays.

Moving up a year is exciting for children, so talk about school whenever you get the opportunity over the school holidays. Your kids will pick up on your attitude towards school and if you discuss it with excitement, they might feel some too. “Wow, I can’t believe you’re in Year One next year, how exciting.”

Just as an FYI, this post is sponsored by Officeworks. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

2. Set up a special homework area.

For years we’ve been doing our homework on the dining table but it then just becomes a mad rush of making dinner, cleaning and homework, which is fun for nobody. If you set up a special homework table for your children ahead of school starting, they will (hopefully) look forward to using it. Let them help choose the table, chairs and stationery.

3. Highlight the school supplies shopping day.

Make the day you shop for school supplies an exciting event. Many kids love stationery and involving them in the process of choosing their school supplies means they’ll look forward to using them, even if it is at school. Let them know what you’ll be doing that day, buy everything, let them choose something they can use straight away, have lunch and have fun.

4. Buy their school shoes well in advance.

Buy their school shoes at least a couple of weeks before school goes back so they can wear them in. There’s nothing worse than wearing stiff shoes on that first day. Let them thump around the house in them and then show them how to polish their own shoes. It’s just like painting. They’ll be so excited to get involved and you’ll be teaching them how to care for their possessions.

5. Address any issues they had the previous year.

If your child struggled academically or socially during the school year, make time to work on those issues before school returns. You might do some extra work over the holidays or organise some play dates with kids who will be in their class when the school year begins.

6. Be positive.

Speak positively about school whenever you can. If they groan about school returning, remind them about the things they have to look forward to at school like seeing their friends, art class, the athletics carnival and even buying their favourite snack from the school canteen.

7. Do the countdown.

Remind your children when school returns on a regular basis, so it doesn’t come as a surprise/shock when you say, “Hey, school’s back on Monday!” With my younger children I do the countdown in ‘sleeps’…”12 sleeps til school goes back. Yay!”…and with my older boy we do it in days. So they have plenty of notice/warning about school returning.

8. Get organised.

Make sure you are organised before that first week back at school so the mornings aren’t rushed. There’s nothing worse than those first few mornings becoming stress-filled nightmares with you frantically ironing shirts and looking for school hats. Get it all ready the night before and try and stick to it so mornings are as relaxing as possible.

9. The night before.

The day and night before school should be a happy one. Don’t just rattle around the house. Take the kids out, make them good and tired so they’ll go to bed easily and make it fun. After dinner have some family time with card games and board games. Remind them of all the things they have to look forward to the next day at school and leave them with happy thoughts.

10. Keep up the conversation.

Don’t bombard them with questions moments after they come home from school those first few days. Let them kick of their shoes and drop their bags and unwind a little and then ask them about their day. Sometimes my kids are full of stories, and sometimes they just shrug. Try asking them about their day while doing something else to take the pressure of the conversation off them. Then keep the conversation going, especially during those first few weeks when they are still trying to adjust.

Click through these funny back to school eCards. Can you relate to any of these emotions?

Officeworks is Australia’s favourite destination for back to school supplies. No matter what your child’s aspirations are, Officeworks is there to help them fulfil their potential through a wide range of products at the lowest prices. Find everything for growing minds this back to school at officeworks.com.au.