Back to School Prep

. Parents and kids of all ages, especially those who are college-bound, can sometimes feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to happen to be ready for this big transition. Fortunately, you can make preparing for the upcoming academic year a lot easier with some tips and tools to help everyone stay on track during the shift from summer to school mode.

1. Tackle time management: One of the biggest shifts from the lazy days of summer back to school again is keeping on top of everyone’s schedules. A tried-and-true tactic is to create and post one big family calendar where everyone can see it. That way everyone can add their appointments, extracurricular activities and upcoming events so the whole family knows what to plan for and look forward to each week. Try using color-coded markers so everyone knows which events are for which family member.

kids in the planning by asking what they want to eat for each meal.

3. Get ready for the move to campus: For college students, the move away from home can be a real test of their organizational abilities. Help ensure they’ll have what they need by printing a list of everything they think they’ll have to pack for the big move. Once their list is complete, they can print out their finalized list for shopping and crossing off items they’ve already purchased. They can also help reduce the homesickness they’re bound to feel their first year away from home by printing out pictures of family members (and pets) making a welcome addition to their dorm room decor.

With these tools and tactics, you should all feel better prepared for the changes to comehelping you and your kids make the transition seamlessly, no matter what the new school year brings.