Taking STYLE Back to School

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It’s here. For better or for worse, it’s that time of year.

Back to school. 

If getting your kids ready to go back to school feels like a headache-inducing endeavor, maybe you just need a little STYLE.

Start with successes. Set aside that supply list and talk with your kids about what worked last year. This can include anything from the actual supplies they used to the routine your family followed. Once you’ve identified your family’s successes, use them as building blocks to create more successes in the coming months.

Take small steps. Did that discussion about what worked turn up a few things that didn’t? Consider making small adjustments to make things run more smoothly or, perhaps implementing one small change per child. Too many kids with too many opinions? Look for common denominators or let everyone cast a vote. And, yes, parental vetoes are allowed, but keep in mind that when your kids have at least partial ownership, they’re more likely to comply.

Yes, it has a home. Together with your kids, determine where everything will go when they get home from school each day, where necessary items will be placed each night before bed and where recurring items (musical instruments, library books) will be stored. Try to take styles into account if you can (i.e. make sure your I need to see itkiddo doesn’t choose an out-of-sight spot for those library books) and consider arranging a celebration at the end of that long first week if everyone complies with the plan.

Let it go. If there’s room for flexibility, try to avoid buying supplies that haven’t worked in the past. If the supply list is non-negotiable, see if you can accommodate your child’s styles in small ways, such as outfitting a binder with fail-safe tools (including a three-hole punch and a clip at the front) or purchasing a see-through pocket folder for your I know I put it somewhereorganizer. While you’re at it, let go of any routines, storage solutions, or homework plans that made you (or your child) wish there was no such thing as school.

Easy upkeep. This is your goal – or, more accurately, your child’s – and accomplishing it may mean taking stock periodically to see if the ideas that sounded great in August are still working in October. Involving your kids in the plan from the beginning makes it easier to tweak the plan as necessary and work toward handing off responsibility as the school year goes on.

And that celebration at the end of the first week? That’s as much for you as it is for them. Creating a successful school year and creating a successful organizational plan have at least one thing in common.

It’s a process.