Just like many parents throughout Dallas and Fort Worth, the ice delivery team at Emergency Ice all have kids of their own that we are trying to rush and get everything together for going back to school as the new school year begins in just a few days. No matter how organized we all try to be, there are too many school supplies we have to get, schedules we have to coordinate, lunches we have to plan, and everything else in between, there always seems to be something that we end up forgetting about.
Although you may have already started getting everything together, Emergency Ice has a back to school checklist to make sure you and the kids are ready before the big day comes.
- New school clothes– Before you hit the store for new clothes and make a big hit in the checking or savings account, go through and organize your kids’ closets and have them try on clothes from last year. If some of them fit, keep them and have them ready for this year. If they don’t fit, pass them down to their younger siblings or cousins, or better yet, donate them to charity so the less fortunate kids have something new this school year too. If your kids still need new clothes and shoes, make a list and head out to the stores with the best back to school sales, and don’t be afraid to use some coupons to save even more.
- School Supplies– Every school and class should supply you with a list of the school supplies they need for this year; before you head out and buy brand new supplies, go through their supplies from last year, and if there are any supplies left over that are still in good shape, use those and check off the list before you head to the store to buy new supplies.
- Shots, Vaccinations, and Medical Forms – Each year there are a set of shots and vaccinations that your child must have before they enter a certain grade level, make an appointment at their doctor, local clinic, or pharmacy to have their shots done and make sure you have copies to show the school that your child received them. Also, if your child has any food allergies, material allergies, or necessary medication, be sure to complete the school’s medical forms and discuss this with their teacher and school nurse so they are fully aware of their needs.
- After School Care– If your children are being cared for after school until you, your spouse, or an older sibling comes home, confirm babysitting arrangements or latchkey schedules. For babysitters, make sure they have had the chance to get to know your kids if they have not met them already, and confirm with the babysitter about the first day of school, their pay rate, and their schedule.
- Lunch Schedules– It may be much easier to just pay for your kids to buy the school lunches, but you can save a lot of money and provide healthier meals if you pack their lunches each day. If you plan to pack their lunch, plan out their lunches at least each week ahead or even further if possible.
- Family Calendar– No matter if you are a family with one kid or four kids, the schedule starts to get much more hectic once school starts. Have a large family calendar that everyone in the house can see and update so no one misses or forgets to pick up a kid from their football practice, drama practice, or karate class.
- Bedtime– After nearly three months of staying up late at sleepovers, pool parties, and family vacations, it will be very hard to immediately switch to getting up at sunrise. Gradually shift your kids to going to bed early and start getting them up early before the first day of school; this will make the first day of school go much more smoothly in the morning.
There are so many things to remember for the first day of school; so if you forget something, don’t freak out, you are not the only parent that forgot something that their child needed and the school is usually prepared for it. If you have any other suggestions to share with other parents and kids for their back to school checklists and planning, let us all know on the Emergency Ice Facebook page; the more information, the better and smoother back to school can be for all of us!