ShortStuff

Back-to-School Tips

Enjoying your summer vacation? Back-to-school season is probably the furthest thing from your mind. However, if you have a slow day this month, it might help to start thinking about ways to ease back into the school routine.

Here are some tips and tricks to make the summer-to-school transition as effortless as possible:

Beat the new school blues: Whether starting kindergarten, moving into a new school district, or just changing schools, make the transition easier by taking your child on a tour of the school to find their classroom, the cafeteria, and the bathroom. For older children, go over a school map and their schedules with them.

Cleaning out their closet: Get rid of any clothing and shoes they may have outgrown. Also, note the school supplies you may already have so you don’t make any unnecessary purchases. Consider reusing items left over from last year or purchasing from a second-hand store to stay on budget.

Designate a home base: Purchase a calendar or white board to stay organized with schedules, lessons, practices, due dates, and other events. Set up an uncluttered space to do homework and give each child a cubby, drawer, or shelf to keep their items handy and organized.

Safety in numbers: Before sending your child off to school, write your home, work, and cell phone numbers on an index card and slip it in your child’s backpack for a quick and easy reference in an emergency. You may also want to consider including the contact numbers of a trusted friend or neighbor in case you are unavailable.

Check your team roster: Check in with your ‘team’ which may include carpool parents, after-school caregivers, enrichment programs, or grandparents. Contact everyone on your team to make sure they are still available this year.

Prioritize health: Schedule physicals for any vaccinations, flu shots, or vision and hearing tests before the doctor’s office gets overwhelmed.

Early to bed and early to rise: To help ease the transition before school starts, provide plenty of downtime prior to bedtime and move up your child’s bedtime 15 minutes each night until they return to the usual school-night routine.

You can also flip to page 8 for Back-to-School prep essentials to ensure you're ready for the year!

Increase Your Mental Health Literacy

The Be There Certificate is a free, self-paced learning experience designed to increase mental health literacy and provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to safely support anyone who may be struggling with their mental health. It provides a deep understanding of Be There’s 5 Golden Rules — a simple but actionable framework on how to recognize when someone might be struggling with their mental health, your role in supporting that person, and how to connect them to the help they deserve.

Visit betherecertificate.org to learn more.

Send Us Your Back-to-School Photos

Help us celebrate Back-to-School by sending in your Back-to-School photos! Snap a picture in their first-day-of-school outfit, walking to the bus, posing with their new backpack, or maybe even a photo with them and their new teacher!

Email us your photo to ccparent@ccparent.com with “Back-to-School” as the subject line. Include your child’s name, age, and city. Deadline for submitting your photo is August 31st.

You may see your child featured on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter: @ccparent

Some Shorter Stuff

Meet our Cover Kid, Mateo!

Mateo is four-years-old and a very happy kid who enjoys going to school and playing with his friends. He loves the outdoors and spends his time looking for insects and collecting items such as flowers for mom or rocks for his pockets. He is very affectionate and enjoys his role as big brother to his little brother.

World Breastfeeding Week is August 1st–7th.

Breast milk is free, easily digestible, protects against infections, and reduces the risk of developing some allergies. Visit waba.org.my/wbw or worldbreastfeedingweek.org for more information.

Grounds for Your Garden

is a fun program that will help your family’s garden grow! Starbucks offers free coffee grounds for little and big gardeners alike! Grounds are first come, first serve. Check with your local Starbucks or call ahead for availability and for more information. The goodness of coffee grows beyond the cup!

Always at ccparent.com!

Visit us online to view the digital edition of this month’s issue, our full calendar of family events, local resources, additional articles, and so much more!

Hunger Free America

is now ramping up its efforts to publicize the USDA National Hunger Hotline—which can be reached at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (for Spanish)—through which callers can locate summer meal sites for kids, food pantries or soup kitchens for families, and other government and private meal programs near them. Visit hungerfreeamerica.org for ways you can help.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month.

NIAM was established to encourage people of all ages to make sure they are up to date on the vaccines recommended for them. Communities have continued to use the month each year to raise awareness about the important role vaccines play in preventing serious, sometimes deadly, diseases. Visit cdc.gov/vaccines for immunization schedules, travel information, and more.

The Young at Art Exhibition

is back at Arts Visalia, 214 E. Oak Avenue in Visalia. Featuring the artwork of participants in Arts Visalia’s summer children’s classes, the exhibition is a great opportunity to see all the young artists’ creative work. The exhibit is open August 3rd–26th, Wednesdays–Saturdays from 12–5:30 p.m. On August 4th, from 5:30–7:30 p.m., join for an opening reception. Call 739-0905 for more information.

Weekly Giveaways!

Be sure to stay connected with Central California Parent at ccparent.com and on all our social platforms for a chance to win prizes every week! Last month, we gave away Brick Fest Live tickets, baby products, a playhouse, Monster Jam tickets, a scooter, and more!

Free Entrance to National Parks!

Families can enjoy an entrance free day to National Parks on August 4th in celebration of the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act. Visit nps.gov to plan a trip and learn more!