| It is hard to believe that summer is coming to a | | | | or Jello that you can make large batches of for a |
| close, but the fall and school season is fast | | | | fraction of the cost or refill them with yogurt |
| approaching. Our son will be beginning his first year | | | | from larger and less expensive containers. Instead |
| of preschool this year and we are both excited | | | | of purchasing juice boxes or individual milks, fill a |
| and nervous. How nice it has been to not be on a | | | | thermos with the drink of your choice. For |
| schedule and to be able to lounge around in our | | | | younger children you can dilute the juice so that |
| pajamas, yet at the same time I am looking | | | | they are not getting too many empty calories. Be |
| forward to having some time on my hands to | | | | fun and creative with lunches and a little note to |
| tackle those projects that have been looming | | | | your child (or your husband for that matter) will |
| before me all summer long.I remember the hectic | | | | really make their day and remind them of how |
| mornings of my youth with three children in our | | | | special they are to you. By preparing these meals |
| parent's house. I remember the constant fight | | | | the night before, you will save yourself some |
| over the bathroom, the rushed breakfast, our | | | | time in the morning.With that being said, don't |
| poor mom driving us to school every single day, | | | | forget to offer your child a healthy breakfast in |
| and the frantic sense of urgency that we all had | | | | the morning. It is proven that children perform |
| to get to where we need to be. I hope that with | | | | better on tests and have less health problems |
| a few of these organizational tips that you can | | | | later in their life if their day is started with a |
| avoid those hectic mornings and be able to really | | | | healthy breakfast. Have a variety of foods on |
| sit down and enjoy that cup of coffee before | | | | hand such as fruits, whole grain cereals, whole |
| your hurried day begins. Here are a few of my | | | | grain bagels, and other healthy foods on hand that |
| ideas for staying organized during a more | | | | your child can prepare for themselves.For the |
| stressful part of your day.Plan AheadMuch of the | | | | more motivated mother, you could even prepare |
| stress in our lives can be avoided if we can plan | | | | large batches of French toast, waffles, or |
| ahead and this is the case with returning to school. | | | | pancakes and then freeze them in individual |
| Usually the teachers send home with your children | | | | portions for your child to zap in the microwave in |
| a list for what will be needed for the next school | | | | the morning. I like to do this on Saturday |
| year and it is important to get all of the required | | | | mornings when I have more time on my hands to |
| items as well as several back-ups for later during | | | | really prepare a nice morning brunch and just |
| the year. Take advantage of all of those back to | | | | make tons of extras for those days during the |
| school sales with the huge bins of notebooks, | | | | week when I have less time.Preset your table |
| loose leaf paper, and pencils and stock up. | | | | with silverware, bowls, and plates the night before. |
| Designate a spot in your home, which is accessible | | | | Place cereal and other breakfast items on the |
| to the children, for storing all of your back up | | | | table where they are accessible to your child to |
| supplies. Be sure to check your local dollar store | | | | help prepare their breakfast in the morning. Also |
| as well for the pricier items that your child will | | | | make sure that your dishwasher is empty the |
| need in order to get started for the year. You will | | | | night before so that you can immediately move |
| be very grateful when the spring rolls around and | | | | breakfast dishes to the dishwasher avoiding a sink |
| you do not have to make another trip to the | | | | full of dishes to come home to after your busy |
| store and pay higher prices for the same items | | | | morning.Papers, Papers, and More PapersThe |
| later in the year.Next, label, label, label. Everything | | | | beauty of your children's craft projects from |
| will need to have your child's name on it and you | | | | school will wear off if you are saving every single |
| will be glad that you labeled your child's items | | | | picture and drawing that they have done. Save |
| when another child accidentally brings them home | | | | yourself the loads of clutter by allowing your child |
| with them. You can write your child's name in | | | | to help you pick their most favorite projects for |
| permanent marker on belongings such as | | | | saving. Invest in a couple of inexpensive frames |
| backpacks, lunch boxes, gym shoes, and other | | | | for their bedroom and reframe these periodically |
| fabric items. For notebooks, pencil totes, and | | | | with their beautiful artwork or choose one picture |
| books it might be a good investment to purchase | | | | for the refrigerator or front of one of your |
| a self-stamping rubber stamp with their | | | | cupboards for saving. By allowing your child to |
| information on it or purchase address labels. A | | | | help you choose, they learn the importance of |
| good place that I have found to get these is and | | | | weeding out paperwork.It is also smart to create |
| they offer a wide selection in different styles and | | | | an area in your file cabinet or a plastic file crate |
| fonts.Be sure not to miss the child's Back to | | | | for your child's papers and report cards. Have |
| School night and introduce yourself to their | | | | them help you with labeling the folders or |
| teacher. Be involved in any capacity that you can | | | | decorating them with stickers that they have |
| whether it is room mother, volunteer teacher, or | | | | chosen. This will give them a sense of ownership |
| just to help on those field trips. Not only will your | | | | of their work and also teach them the importance |
| child be grateful, but you can establish a | | | | of filing their own papers.As a parent, your child |
| relationship with the teacher and open the doors | | | | will be bringing home lots of papers that require |
| of communication. Remember that if you do not | | | | your reading or signature. Designate a spot in |
| have a wonderful first impression of the teacher | | | | your home for an inbox and outbox for these |
| to reserve this information when you are around | | | | papers. Label them clearly for your child and |
| your child. Your negativity can rub off on them | | | | instruct them to unload their papers into the |
| and immediately start the year off on the wrong | | | | inbox. It also helps if you can create a box for |
| foot.Clothes Wars & Other BattlesAround the age | | | | them for their own room where they can put |
| of two or three you will start to see your child | | | | their own homework in that they need to do for |
| developing their own opinions on what looks good | | | | the evening.For papers such as emergency |
| and what does not. Maybe looking like a "fashion | | | | contact sheets, permission slips, and immunization |
| don't" isn't of any concern to them, but it might | | | | records which come up frequently during the |
| be a concern to you on your child's picture day. It | | | | school year for field trips and sports, it is a good |
| can be a true battle of wills, but there are ways | | | | idea to invest in photocopying these documents |
| to help your child choose their own clothing with | | | | and keeping them in a file for yourself so that |
| your help.Invest in a five compartment sweater | | | | you don't have to constantly be signing and |
| organizer and use the top one for Monday, the | | | | writing the same things over and over again.When |
| second one for Tuesday, and so on. On Sunday | | | | you get papers on bake sales, field trips, and |
| evening have your child help you plan the clothing | | | | other school events, be sure to immediately |
| for the week. Preset everything down to | | | | transfer these dates onto a calendar. If you have |
| underwear, socks, barrettes, whatever you can | | | | more than one child's events to attend, assign |
| do to help make their morning easier.For younger | | | | each child and family member a color for their |
| kids, preset their combs, brushes, toothbrush, | | | | events. It will make it easier to see that it is |
| towel, and toothpaste so that they can quickly | | | | Susie's concert that you need to attend and not |
| get ready in the morning without you getting | | | | Billy's. Buy a calendar that has plenty of room in it |
| everything out for them.Be sure to have purses, | | | | for all of your information and by immediately |
| briefcases, coats, and backpacks waiting at the | | | | putting this on your calendar in a neat and |
| door ready to go for you so that you don't have | | | | organized way, you will have less chance of |
| to rush around getting everything together in the | | | | missing those important events. Consult your |
| morning. You will be grateful when you don't have | | | | calendar first thing in the morning so that you |
| to spend twenty minutes looking for that one | | | | know exactly what you need to do for the |
| paper or your keys when you are already rushed | | | | day.A+ WorkDon't forget to set aside some time |
| to get to where you need to go.MealsMuch can | | | | in the evening for your child to work on their |
| be said about meal planning not only for your | | | | homework. By setting aside time in the evening |
| hectic morning, but also lunch preparation can be | | | | you will not have to be trying to complete |
| particularly cumbersome when you are trying to | | | | homework pages first thing in the morning. Take |
| get your children to school on time. The | | | | the time to check your child's work and discuss |
| supermarkets offer a variety of food that is both | | | | their homework with them. If you have no idea |
| unhealthy and pricey, catering to the harried | | | | what they are doing, bluff your way through it or |
| parent who doesn't think that they have time to | | | | run over to the internet and see if you can figure |
| be creative. You will waste a lot of your money | | | | it out. Trust me, our parent's did it- we just really |
| by buying these convenience and individually sized | | | | believed them.Now you truly can enjoy that cup |
| items.Instead of buying these, look for foods that | | | | of coffee, your morning paper, and your smooth |
| are nutritious and which will offer your child the | | | | morning.Amy Allen Clark is a stay-at-home |
| nutrients they need for energy to get through | | | | mother of a two year old son. She is founder and |
| their school day. Buy large packages of crackers, | | | | creator of Her web site is geared towards |
| cheese, milk or juice, carrots, celery, and other | | | | mothers who are seeking advice on staying |
| healthy foods and start by dividing these large | | | | organized, living on a budget, and for those |
| packages into small lunch-size portions in baggies. | | | | seeking work-at-home employment. Please visit |
| Keep these baggies in a Rubbermaid container and | | | | her site to sign up for her free monthly |
| then just grab them and drop them in the lunch | | | | newsletter filled with more great tips to help |
| boxes in the morning.Save your used yogurt | | | | simplify your life. |
| containers and refill these with the boxed pudding | | | | |