5 Back to School Tips to get your School Year off to a great start!

This post was created in partnership with Dollar General. All photos, ideas and opinions are 100% my own. #sponsored

Many of us struggle with getting our kids and families back into the school year routine. I’ve got 5 Back to School Tips to help make that transition simple and seamless. These tips include some great kids lunch box ideas and simple ways to get and stay organized all through the school year!

I can say with confidence that as a parent one of the tougher times of the year is back to school time. The relaxed routines of summer often turn into staying up late and sleeping in for my son. I do think he needs to enjoy the summer and have time to be a kid, but come August, I know we need to start thinking about the school year routine again.

The past few years I’ve implemented these steps, and they’ve made the transition from summer to school year smooth and seamless.

Here are my 5 Back to School Tips for a Great School Year

Back to School Tip #1: Have School Lunch Box items ready to go

Having a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator is really helpful when the school year starts. I always stop by my local Dollar General to get my lunch box staples like Clover Valley 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, Apple Sauce cups and these Good & Smart Shelled Pistachios which my son really loves.

We also like putting together a small snack area in the refrigerator just for my son. I go to Dollar General to stock it with things like Clover Valley String Cheese, Horizon Organic Milk Boxes and Clover Valley Apple Sauce. 

He can easily access these items in lower drawer in the refrigerator. This helps HIM take the lead on getting his lunch made in the morning. (Meaning I don’t have to do it for him.)

All of these items can be found at Dollar General! It’s a great way to put together all of your kids lunch and snack items for the school year for a great price!

Back to School Tip #2: Purchase School Supplies Early

I can tell you from experience, there is nothing worse than running around the day before school starts trying to piecemeal your kids supply list because stores have sold out of what you need.

Here’s my proven strategy that will make finding everything on the Teacher Supply List simple and Stress Free!

Shop for the school supplies ASAP!

Head over to your local Dollar General where you will find everything on your child’s school supply list. You can even go to Dollar General to get your child’s supply list by entering your zip code in the school finder.

I was able to check off everything on my son’s Teacher List in one stop at Dollar General! That included all of his school & desk supplies, as well as things like paper towels, tissues, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes that the teachers really need!

Dollar General is a great place to get all things back to school for a good price! Right now, when you Spend $15 you Save $5 on everything from backpacks, lunch kids, folders, glue, pens, pencils, markers and more!

Additionally, all teachers receive a 20% OFF discount for supplies by showing their school badge at the register.

Back to School Tip #3: Have your Child meet their new teacher & see their new classroom BEFORE the first day of school

I will say that my son is a bit of a worrier. He often gets nervous about new things and experiences, and the first day of school is a BIG source of anxiety. Can your child relate? I highly recommend arranging to have your son or daughter stop by to meet their new teacher and see their new classroom BEFORE the first day of school.

This is really helpful in taking the mystery out of this new experience. To help my son meet his new teacher, he always likes to bring them a little something. This makes him feel good and helps get the conversation started with his new teacher.

This year Harrison picked out these Dark Chocolate, Caramel & Sea Salt & Milk Chocolate Bars and these Fudge Shortbread cookies at Dollar General. All of these items make for a great treat to give to his teacher in that first meeting. Best of all, 100% of the proceeds of these items help support the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

Dollar General believes that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to receive a basic education. It’s never too late to learn and the foundation supports youth and adult literacy programs across the country. In May 2019, DG Literacy Foundation donated $8.3 million to programs in the 42 states they operate in. 

Buy a chocolate bar or package of cookies and help support everyone have a brighter tomorrow!

Back to School Tip #4: Set-up a Homework Station BEFORE the first day of school

Having a dedicated work space for your child to do homework is really helpful. Just about every parent knows the battles that can be waged when it comes to homework. It can even be a struggle just to get them willing and ready to sit down and do the work.

Work together WITH your child before school starts to set up this area in your home. Have them organize their supplies like lose-leaf paper, pencils, erasers, scissors and art supplies. All of these supplies were purchased at Dollar General! Have them choose where they want to keep these items. They will be more likely to use this area if they are an active participant in creating their space. 

Having their own space that is well lit, quiet, free of distractions is important.  Also, a well-fitting chair is helpful in them feeling comfortable to sit down to work. Having a central location for your child is helpful in them taking ownership of their homework, assignments and upcoming projects.

Tip #5: Get into a bedtime routine 2-3 weeks in advance

This might be the toughest of all the tips on the list. But, getting into a regular sleep routine is critical in getting your child back into their school routine.  We all know that it is critical for your child to be getting enough sleep. Not only is this essential for their physical development, it’s imperative for their cognitive development and functional learning at school.

It’s safe to assume that just about everyone has kids that go to bed later and wake up later in the summer. Take a look at your schedule and find out when the first day of school is. Then, start gradually rolling back bedtime.

Approximately 3 weeks out start enforcing a bedtime that is a 15-30 minutes earlier than their summer bedtime. Two weeks out, roll it back another 15 minutes. One week out, roll it back another 15 minutes. Hopefully, at this point, your child will be getting to bed earlier and thus falling asleep earlier. This is also VERY helpful when it comes time to wake up in the morning.

Here’s a helpful graphic in determining what bedtime your child should have by age:

Another tip that will be helpful with bedtime: remove screens approximately 2 hours before bed. We know that blue light interferes with our ability to fall asleep. Having your child be free of screens will help them wind down, reduce stimulation and get ready for bed.

I hope these tips have been helpful in preparing for the new school year. Is there anything that should be added to this list? Let me know in the comments below.