Is YOUR family ready for back-to-school? As the kids gear up to head back to the classroom, there are several things you can do at home to make sure the early morning rush goes smoothly for everyone:

Create a Lunch-making Station
If your child brings a lunch to school, make it easier on yourself by keeping all the usual ingredients together in the pantry. Items that should go in this area include: lunchbox/lunch bags, sandwich baggies, thermos, individually packed snacks, peanut butter, bread, a pad of paper and a pen for writing “love notes,” and whatever else you send your kids off with everyday.

Spruce up your Family Launch Pad
If you don’t have a family launch pad to help send your family out every day, set one up now. If you already have one, now’s the time to make sure it’s functioning up to speed. Clear out all the out-of-season clutter, make sure everyone has a designated spot to hang their jacket, store their backpack/purse, and dump their shoes. And, be sure to include a shelf or area to throw all the things need to go out of the house next time you leave the house. (Right now mine has the preschool postcards I need to send out, clothes to drop off at the DI, a magazine I promised to share with my friend, and plastic bags to recycle at the grocery store.)

Break out the Labelmaker
Make sure the kids’ gear is well labeled, either with initials or full names. If there is a possibility that a jacket or backpack will eventually be handed down to younger siblings, just use your last name to identify the item. For school supplies, choose a brightly colored label tape to make it more fun and more easily recognizable to your child.

Synchronize Everyone’s Calendars
EVERY family member needs a personal calendar to keep track of their activities. Just make sure the method and the events posted are age-appropriate. For example, preschoolers can place stars on the days they go to school and stickers on the days they need to take snack. Elementary-age kids can track their extra-curricular activities and begin learning how to juggle homework and fun. And middle and high-school students can start taking more responsibility for being where they need to be when they need to be there. Of course, Mom and Dad need their own calendar systems, too. With all of these calendars floating around the house, be sure to synchronize everyone’s schedules on a weekly basis so there will be no conflicts or oversights. Sunday after dinner, or Monday night for “Family Night” is a great time for such a family meeting. Check out my previous post for online calendars that color code each person’s activities and dad can log in and check the calendar at any time from work (that way he has no excuse to be clueless!!)

Designate a Homework Zone
Make sure each school-age child has a special spot at home for working on assignments. This area should be free of distractions, well lit, and stocked with adequate school supplies. A bedroom desk is ideal, but the kitchen table or home office work just as well. Provide each child with a homework bin, stocked with all necessary supplies. The bin can be stored when not in use, but easily accessible and portable when homework calls. I use a large 3 ring binder for each child with their picture on the front. Inside we keep their classroom weekly newsletter, spelling list, homework pages, and all the supplies they need in a pencil bag. That way everything in contained in one spot and it is easy to put away everything when they are done.

If your kids have already started the new school year, it’s not too late to implement some of these ideas in your own house. If you’re kids are still counting down those last precious days of summer vacation, take some time to establish these systems. Like I’ve mentioned in the past, be sure to include include your kids in the processes you establish. Click here for some rules to grow by ideas – you never know what clever input they might be able to provide.

Good luck and HAPPY BACK-TO-SCHOOL to everyone!