Back to school season in Pennsylvania is just around the corner! Teachers and students are rushing like mad to get their things organized to prepare for the new season.
For those of you who have kids at home that will be starting school for the first time or going back to school, you’re going to need to get back into the swing of things shortly!
Get your tasks and preparations in order as soon as possible, and start right, because if you don’t, you can get stuck in the trenches of having to rush and you run the risk of not being well enough prepared. Not being prepared is a horrible feeling for starting off a new school year – so start off ready!
We need to also keep in mind those who help with the unofficial start of the school year, particularly the administrators. This is also a time of high stress for them as well, and just like the teachers, students, and parents, they need to be well prepared too!
Below are 4 things to keep in mind for preparing for back to school season:
Create an Amazing Experience for the Kids
Starting school for the first time or going back to school is a stressful time for kids, and for some, it can even be scary. It’s essential that those who help in decorating and preparing the school building, classrooms, and hallways need to do so with the intent to create a fantastic, fun experience for the kids. In helping to set up an exciting atmosphere, the kids can jump into the school year with excitement and eagerness to learn!
Don’t forget to say and show a big well-deserved “Thank-you!” to those who decorate and prepare the school building for the students, because a lot of their hard work goes into making sure your child starts the year off right and ease!
Check-in on Your Stress Levels
While back to school season can be an exciting time, we shouldn’t deny that it can also be an incredibly stressful time as well! While we need to tend to our children to see how their stress levels are, it’s equally important to ensure we have a good handle on our OWN stress levels. Whether you’re a parent, guardian, or a teacher, you will also be feeling the stress that preparing for back to school can hold and you need to be in tune with it and manage it.
When we are stressed in our lives, the person we forget about the most is ourselves. We often hear about the topic of “relationships” and how vital creating healthy relationships are to our mental and physical health. What we need to remember is that our most important relationship is internal! When we have a positive, healthy internal relationship with ourselves, we have a better chance of being able to have positive relationships externally as well! So, make sure to take great care of yourself because you can’t pour from an empty cup!
Delete, Delegate, Defer, Do
As mentioned above, you can’t pour from an empty cup and therefore you should not expect to do everything yourself. Now is the time to create a to-do list in preparation for the school year and determine where you can solicit for some extra help.
- What tasks can you delete that aren’t important?
- What tasks can be delegated and to whom?
- What tasks can you defer to a later date?
- What tasks are ones you can do?
While getting your family ready for the changes coming because of the school year, oftentimes, parents neglect their home. Once the kids are off to school they take a look around their home and it’s as if a tornado went through it.
Don’t let that happen!
Contact your local maid or cleaning service to check off a few tasks on your “honey-do” list. This will ease your mind, reduce your stress, and allow you to get the much-needed rest.
In fact, give Maid For You a call! We’ll gladly clean up the mess while you put your feet up, relax, and enjoy the peace and quiet before the kids get home!
Note: For new customers only, during the month of September 2019 receive $30 off your cleaning and receive 10% off at Classic Rock Auto Detail. Cleaning must be booked and used in September.
Be Empathetic to Others
Empathy goes a long way when a new school year starts because while there may be stresses you’re not necessarily feeling, it doesn’t mean others aren’t feeling anxiety in other areas, and they need your care and compassion.
The start of the school year brings an array of different emotions for various educators, parents, and students alike, and all of those emotions need to be accepted as OK!
Many people can get very anxious about starting school or going back to school, and the change to their routine can be very stressful. Whereas other people can’t wait to start the new school year and they embrace the routine they had to put on hold in the Summer.
Parents
Some parents may feel the excitement that their child is starting a new school year, and yet another parent may feel sadness that their little one isn’t going to be home with them during the day anymore. Some are even faced with the fact that their kids are getting older. Other parents may feel relieved that school is starting up again if they have unruly teenagers in their home, whereas another parent is upset because they had such a great Summer with their child and they hate that the routine has to change.
Teachers
Some teachers may feel stressed about a new year because they are a new teacher or because they will have a classroom full of brand new students, and other teachers may feel exuberant about the adventures the new school year holds.
Students
One student may be very despaired about school starting because they will miss spending time with their family and friends as they did over the holidays, or they are fearful of being bullied in school. Another student may be very excited about going back to school because of the new friends he or she can make or to hang out with their old friends they didn’t see over the Summer.
Consider that everyone is going to have different emotions and try your best to put yourself in their shoes so that you can be there for everyone.
Have a Successful School Year
A fantastic way to ensure you or your loved one has a great start to a new school year is to try very hard to enjoy getting ready for going back to school. Also, plan to have an exciting, successful year for yourself or your child by following a healthy food, sleep, and stress-free lifestyle.
Preparing for the new school year and acknowledging that it’s going to have some impact on you and your family is the best thing you can do to start the back to school season off right and helping the rest of the school year to go smoothly! Try to build excitement for yourself or your children and practice having a positive mind-set!
Wherever you fit in going back to school this season, take care of yourself, and have a fantastic start to the school year!
Share in the comments below: What is ONE thing you can do today to help you prepare this month for going back to school?