9 Ways to Prepare Your Children for Back To School (Physically, Mentally, Spiritually, & Emotionally)

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Summer is almost over, which means it's time to prepare for our kids to go back to school.

As any parent can tell you, there are a lot of logistics involved in preparing for back to school. What grade is your child going into? Who are their teachers (and in the case of older children what classes are they taking)? What supplies do your children need?  The list goes on and on.

 

In fact there are so many things we have to do to get our children physically ready for back to school, that it is easy to overlook preparing our children in other important ways. I'm talking about preparing your children mentally, spiritually, and emotionally for going back to school.

Here is a list of 9 ways to fully prepare your children for back to school.

 

1- Adjust family to school time schedule

Do you have a different schedule for Summer then you do for the School year? Of so, you might want to consider adjusting your family now so everyone is already adjusted when school starts. This is especially important for going to bed and waking up times.

 

2- Family Devotionals

School these days are a spiritual war zone.  With pressures that come from all directions to let go of your faith and morals.  Having the habit of daily (even if it is brief) a family devotional where you discuss even just one scripture and have a family prayer) can make a huge difference in helping your children don their spiritual armor to face the dangers that await them with the power of God.

 

3- Clothing Shopping

One common back to school practice is buying your children new school clothes. (Probably because stores offer such great sales so you get more bang for your buck then at other times of the year.) If finances are tight and you can't afford to buy your children a new wardrobe, consider at least buying them one new outfit for their first day. If your child goes to a charter or private school that requires a uniform, then I would suggest buying them a special accessory that they can wear that first day. Why?? It is amazing how much confidence a new set of clothes or special accessory can offer your children on their first day back to school. Sort of like wearing physical armor or a talisman.

 

4- School Supply Shopping

Each student is usually given by their school/teachers a list of required supplies. While purchasing these, I would suggest taking advantage of the sales and buying extra for when their supplies wear our or run out. Make sure the supplies you purchase are practical but also fit the personality of each child.

 

5- Back to School Pictures

Have you seen those super cute back to school photos out there where the child holds a sign stating what grade they are going into. Some even have personal interests and info on the signs to make it extra special.  If you aren't uber creative yourself then no worries There are plenty of free printables available on Pinterest.

 

6-  Parent/Child Goal Setting

A great way to mentally prepare your children to go back to school is to have a parent/child interview and goal setting session.  I totally believe in regularly sitting down with each child to see how they are doing, discuss their hopes and dreams, set goals, and return and report on the goals set before.  This is a great opportunity to be open and honest with your desires for your child, and to also discover your child's hopes and dreams for themselves.

 

7- Creating a Vision Board

I LOVE vision boards. They are a visual representation of your hopes and dreams. Having a vision board that is kept in a visible place has proven to help with manifesting that dream in reality. Helping your children create their own vision boards is not only a fun activity to do with your kids but a powerful one.

 

8- Parent Child Prayer

Sometime before school starts (maybe the night before?) take the time to kneel with each child and take turns offering a prayer to God.  Include in the prayers hopes, fears, as well as requests for guidance and help for the coming school year. This will help your children set a pattern for turning to the Lord as they face the difficult things of the coming days.

 

9- Throw a Fun Back to School Party For Your Children and Their Friends

What a way to socially set your children off on the right foot (and getting them excited for the coming adventure) then throwing a fun back to school party? Back to School parties can serve two purposes. They help your child to get excited for the coming school year while socially reconnecting with school friends after a busy summer.  If you have children in various schools (elementary, Junior High, High school) then you might want to consider having more than one party. It doesn't have to be uber fancy or expensive to be lots of fun.

Throughout all your back to school preparations, make sure you take the time to let your children know how much they mean to you. Create some fun memories for both you and your children to recall in hard moments. And remember to have fun!

What are your favorite things to do to prepare for back to school? Please share!

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