
5 Easy Tips to Get Ready For Back-To-School Right Now
This was an unprecedented school year for our kids. I donβt think any of us ever expected to have our kids learning from home. Once it was safe to return to school, many of us parents opted to continue distance learning, some of us decided to have our kids return to in-person learning only to go back to remote learning again, andΒ aΒ lucky few were able to send our kids back to in-person school without interruption.Β Now, as this weird school year finally comes to an end, itβs hard not to worry about what lies ahead. As a parent, you might already be wondering how you can start preparing for the transition back to school. Planning ahead can help calm your worries and ensure the kids feel more confident when itβs time to go back to schoolΒ this fall.Β Today Iβm sharingΒ fiveΒ easy tips to ready for back-to-school right now. These simple tips will help make the transition back to school much easier for everyone, guaranteed!

I am part of the Zulily Blogger Program and as a Zulily Lifestyle Expert Iβve written this post in partnership with Zulily. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Check out these and other fun teacher gift ideas by reading my most recent contribution on theΒ Zulily blog.
Here are 5 easy tips to help you get ready for back-to-school right now!
1. Open up the dialogue now
Donβt wait untilΒ the end of the summer breakΒ to start talking aboutΒ goingΒ back to school.Β Parenting during the pandemicΒ has been hard! Start those back-to-schoolΒ conversations now. Talk with your kids about COVID-19, ask what they knowΒ and how they feel about itΒ and discuss how this upcoming school year might be impacted by it. Share what you know about the options your school is offering or considering for the upcomingΒ FallΒ schedule. Encourage your child to talk about theirΒ emotions, concernsΒ andΒ feelings.Β Β
Are they excited about seeing friendsΒ again? Worried about getting sick? Let them share their thoughts and feelings, bothΒ positive and negative,Β and give them time to ask questions,Β too! Listen to your childβs concerns and reassure them that adults (parents, teachers,Β and school administrators, etc.) are trying to do whatβs best, but also remind them that everyone may still need to remain flexible as situations can still change. By having these conversations now, kids will be better equipped when itβs time to transition back to school. There are plenty ofΒ resources to help you talk to kids about Coronavirus!Β Β



2. Practice proper mask wearing now
No matter how your child returns to learning thisΒ Fall, an adjustment period should be expected. If returning to school in-person, itβs quite possible that masks will still be required when kids return to school.Β Instead of a harsh changeΒ βΒ like going from not wearing a mask at all during the summer at home, to now having to wear one for 8 hours a day at schoolΒ βΒ you can encourage your child to wear a mask and start practicing safe behaviorsΒ aheadΒ of time.Β
EvenΒ yourΒ youngest child can be gradually taught to wear a mask properly. You canΒ startΒ practicing nowΒ so that your child will become more comfortable and have an easier time transitioning back to school in-person. By gradually increasing the amount of time your child practices proper mask wearing, your child will begin to feel more comfortable when itβs time to return to school with peers.Β



3. Keep learning through the entire Summer
Does your child haveΒ schoolworkΒ to complete over theΒ Summer?Β Make sureΒ yourΒ kids are reading daily and completing anyΒ SummerΒ assignments or special projects. A couple of years ago I sharedΒ 4 tips to creating the perfect childrenβs reading corner and you might still find this helpful as you prepare for reading this summer!Β Β
DuringΒ SummerΒ months, kids can fall back the equivalent of twoΒ entireΒ school months (or more,Β when you factor in thisΒ extendedΒ pandemic). Still, our kids have made so much progress this school year (despite distance learning). Theyβve worked so hard!Β AndΒ youβveΒ worked so hard! So letβs not let the summer slide happen. Even if our focus now becomesΒ SummerΒ fun, there are still so many ways to keepΒ ourΒ kids learning.Β Last summer,Β I wrote aboutΒ threeΒ fun and easy ways to prevent the summer slide. I encourage you to join myΒ Summer Reading Challenge for KidsΒ and download my FREEΒ printablesΒ here.



We made it through a tough school year! Itβs time to take a break and enjoyΒ SummerΒ but itβs also important to start planning ahead. Head over to the Zulily blog to read the rest of my article and discover the two additional ways you can get ready for back-to-school right now. Click below to read more!Β



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