Back to School

As the Summer Holidays fade away it’s the start of a new school year, and for some the start of School. Unfortunately we aren’t all one of those organised Mum’s, in fact for many the Summer Holidays is pretty shambolic. Every year the words “I’m going to buy the kid’s school uniform and shoes in plenty of time for the new school year” are bandied about in July – come the last week of August everyone’s rushing around trying to find stuff Back to School stuff at the last minute!

Many schools now demand that the school jumpers and PE t-shirt have to be bought online at a specialist supplier, who for some reason take 4-6  weeks to deliver. So do the maths!!

The school shoe shop queue of bored, rowdy children and exasperated mothers is already snaking twice round the shop and out into the shopping centre walkway, with the ‘ticket toll’ reaching into triple figures. It’s enough to send you into meltdown…

Shoe Shop Horrors

Now, I don’t know about anyone else’s kids but for some reason ours seem to grow about two sizes over the summer holidays. Perhaps this is due to the fresh air, large amounts of exercise and large amounts of ice cream – who knows? Whatever the case, every summer it’s the same story. So, the dilemma is; if the new uniform has to be purchased a month before they start school at the specialist stockists, how do we gauge for the extra growth in the final 4 weeks of holidays?

Do we buy one size up, two sizes up, or do we buy two different sizes and then send the one I don’t need back? Of course we don’t do any of those, because that would involve pre meditative thinking! We wait until we see no more signs of growth and then buy, forcing the offspring to start the new school year with last years uniform and shoes, making them look rather like a poor relation in someone else’s clothes with sore feet.

For those of you who don’t have to buy uniforms with logos or special badges on, there are always amazing deals out there for school uniforms. It’s well worth browsing around and checking out which supermarkets are offering special deals.

If you have little ones who are starting school and you’re feeling a bit apprehensive, here are some tips to help ease the transition:-

• Help your child to develop certain skills they will need to be independent, such as getting dressed themselves and looking after their possessions.
• Read books about starting school together.
• In the week before they start school, get your child used to the going to bed and getting up times.
• Plan a treat for the end of the first school day.

On their first day back, make sure to get up early to pack their lunch and school bags. Once you’ve dropped them off at the gates you can breathe a sigh of relief and take a moments rest – at least until tomorrow!