It is important for kids to know they are a part of the family and keeping up the house is the family’s responsibility – not just Mom or Dad’s!  Kids think chores are boring – and, well, they are.  So maybe you change up your approach with your kids.  Talk about responsibility and their role in the running of the family.

At your family dinner, ask them what part did they play today in the running of the family?  What was their contribution?  If they are clueless, then run down everything you did today to keep the family running (made breakfast, did laundry, made lunch, cleaned up meal dishes, paid bills, went to work, made dinner, took kids to friends, vacuumed and dusted, cleaned the bathrooms, etc.).  By listing out what YOU do every day to contribute to keeping the family running, it will make them think about what they did and could do.

If they tell you they don’t know what they could do – have your list ready!  They could take part in the running of the family by: dusting, vacuuming, changing beds, making beds, setting the table, clearing the table, sweeping, doing dishes, putting dishes away, taking out the garbage, bringing back the empty garbage cans, putting toys away in the garage, putting toys away in the house, cleaning out the car, helping brother with homework, walking sister to bus stop, putting their clothes away, raking the yard, etc. Let them know how good it feels to help keep this family running.

Once they start to tell you what they did to participate in running the family, you can find out what items they enjoyed and why, as well as what they did that they found they didn’t like.  Praising them all the way – making them feel good about their contribution.

Approach the kids with the idea of doing what they like plus one item they don’t like so much, because not everything in running a family is enjoyable (like cleaning out the toilet bowl – yuck!) but it still must be done.  Get them to switch off with one another so everyone can get a turn at everything. 

If they start to fall to the wayside in participation, that is when you make participation mandatory and document who will do what and on what night/week.  You can make sure each child is doing what they like, plus something they don’t like.  You can allow them to switch with each other, but then the responsibility will be on the child who ends up with the task in the trade.  When you get to this point, your children will understand keeping a family going takes everyone in the family – it’s not a one person job.

Before you go crazy trying to buy supplies and books, make sure you have what your kids will need from their school and teachers!  These lists should be available to you so you purchase the right items for your kids classes.  Check with your school before you shop!  See if they also have any discounts with local retailers too!

·         The best way to save is to reuse and recycle what you already have!  Find last year’s back pack and lunch boxes; see if they can be used again or should be donated or tossed out.  Plan to replace if unusable.  If they are still good, but your kid turns her nose up at using the same one, see if there is another family you could trade with.  What’s old to you is new to them! 

·         Also reuse old locker locks and locker shelving, gym bags and shoes (if they still fit). 

·         Recycle any old uniforms – contact the coaches to make sure no change in uniforms for the upcoming year and let them know you have one available for a kid in your child’s size.  Why keep them if your kid no longer is on that team or plays that sport?  On the flip side, if your kid wants to play for that team, seek out a parent whose kid no longer wants to play and get the uniform from them!

·         Go through the kids’ clothing and donate or toss what doesn’t fit; talk to friends and neighbors to see if they can exchange clothing, backpacks, and books for school.  If your school has uniforms, check with parents a year ahead of your kid to see if anyone has outgrown their uniform!  Do the same with your “too small” uniforms for the grade your kid just left!  See if you can do an exchange!

·         Buy Used – used books, used uniforms, and used computer programs can be found online and in resale shops.  Many schools have used book programs.

·         Back to School is the best time to stock up on school items as well as home office items!  Sales this time of year are amazing – keep your eyes open and scan your local sales flyers for deals.  Ask your friends and neighbors to let you know if they find any great deals and you do the same.  Have your friends pick up sale items they see for you – and you do the same.  Save receipts in case anything needs to be returned – this will save tons of time not to mention the gas!

·         Shop the sale rack – look in the end of season racks to buy things for the warmer seasons at school like swimwear, bathing caps, sweatpants, sweaters, light jackets, socks, shoes, sandals, etc.  Do the same at the end of winter, beginning of Spring.  You can find really great deals on the warm weather clothing mid to end of any season!  Then you will have it for the next school year!

Check out our free downloadable checklist (http://getbuttonedup.com/2010/07/tool-free-printable-back-to-school-checklist-form/) for getting ready for back to school.  It will help you get organized in a sane way for that first day of school and starts a month before school and goes up to the first day.

1.    Establish Routines Early:

To get kids organized, start changing the routines:  have dinner earlier, stricter bed times, and have them get the next day’s clothes out the night before to develop good habits for the school year.  Start a quiet time in your household so settle kids down, to get them in the habit of quieting later in the day so they can do homework and study once school starts.  Establishing these routines well before school starts should make the transition easier for everyone.

2.    Be Prepared Academically:

Check on the summer reading!  If your kids were to read books over the summer, make sure they have read them and if not, start a quiet time in the evening that is devoted to reading. By checking up on the summer reading you will also avoid your kids getting stressed and anxious if they forgot to read the assignments.  This quiet time can convert to homework and study time during the school year.  Your kids will be used to this segment of quiet time and the transition will be easier for them. 

3.    Set Academic Expectations: 

Sit down with your child and talk about last school year.  What worked well, what didn’t work quite so well?  What can you both do to make this year better?  What goals would your child like to accomplish this year?  What would you like to see them accomplish?  Together list them out and discuss how you will achieve the goals and if appropriate schedule out steps to success.  Discuss if additional help in the form of a tutor or extra help with homework would help get closer to the academic goals.  Set up homework and study times – the household No Call Zone, where no phone calls will be accepted unless it is assignment focused.  Let your child know you will want to know his assignments daily and will want to check to be sure they are completed on time.

4.    Set Household Expectations

Also set expectations for behavior around the house.  This means getting up without a fuss, eating a good breakfast and lunch, honoring quiet homework time and going to bed at bedtime.  It should also include honoring your No Call Zone, when and where to clear out back packs, where to put papers for parents to review/sign; where the family schedule is kept; letting parents know if rides are needed IN ADVANCE, if any sports uniforms need to be cleaned, practices, recitals, etc.

5.    Set Up A Study Area

Find out how your kids study and do homework.  If it’s at a table or desk, if it’s on their bed, if it’s on the floor on a comfortable cushion, you need to be sure they have the space that will help make them the most productive.  If one child likes to have music while another requires silence, invest in earphones!

Have one area of the house designated to hold all school supplies.  Set the expectation that once finished with a project, the supplies must be put back for anyone else to use.  They can be stored in organized baskets in the pantry, in an office, in a family room, in a drawer or cupboard, but it must be accessible for everyone in the family and remain constant.  Also establish a rule that if special supplies are needed for special projects, you must be given advance warning – days, not minutes!

School paperwork and getting ready for the start of school may seem daunting and at times overwhelming.  But there is a way to get it all done, and on time!

1.    Paperwork

If you have more than one child attending the same school system, chances are you will be filling out the same form for each of your kids.  If you have a folder with each child’s name on it, you can document the forms you must complete and due date on the inside cover.  Once completed, just check it off.  This way you won’t be wondering if you completed a form for Mary or was it Jane?!  Place the completed forms in the folders until you are ready to turn them in or mail them in.

The best way to make sure you get it all done is to schedule time to complete the forms!  First, sort the paperwork by due date.  Look at the forms and see if they require a quick fill in the blank type of answer or detailed information from other sources.

Then schedule out getting the forms completed in your planner at least a week or so before they are due.  If you need a babysitter or quiet time to fill out the forms, schedule this in too!

By giving yourself at least a week or two before the form is due, if something happens to your schedule, you have a little wiggle room.  If you can schedule it a month before it is due you are way ahead of the game!  Schedule in every form as if it were an appointment! 

When the appointment date is here, sit down in a quiet area (if your house is noisy, a trip to the library with the kids will give you some quiet time) and fill out as much of the form as possible, making notes on areas you did not fill in.  If you know which forms require you to pull information from other sources (medical records, vaccination records, birth certificates, income tax files, etc.) then schedule additional time in your planner to pull that information and gather it all before your “fill in the X form” appointment.  You can pull this info and pop into your planner or a folder with the form attached with a paperclip.  Then when you have your appointment to complete the form, it will be simple for you.

2.    Back To School Prep

Check out our free downloadable checklist (http://getbuttonedup.com/2010/07/tool-free-printable-back-to-school-checklist-form/) for getting ready for back to school.  It will help you get organized in a sane way for that first day of school and starts a month before school and goes up to the first day. 

Besides completing a mountain of paperwork, you will need to make sure the kids have adequate clothing, shoes, and supplies.  Now is the best time to stock up on supplies for the kids.  Schedule these activities in your planner too. 

And don’t forget food!  Make a grocery shopping list for Back to School – you will need food items that can be packed in lunches, easy to make breakfast meals, and snacks for after school and practices.  Buy in bulk to get the best deals.  Don’t forget water!

You may want to buy a cooler for your car for those items you will need to pack for sports practices and games.  This way you won’t be searching on those days, you will know right where to find it!  Or better yet, keep it stocked with what you need and just add ice!

And don’t fret – every family goes through this every year.  You are not alone.  You could even schedule a “form filling out” session with girlfriends, or a shopping for supplies day to make it fun for you!

This is a problem every household with school aged kids faces.  How to get the kids back in the swing of things!  The easiest way to get them on a school schedule is to start to establish routines that parallel the school year NOW.  Here are some ideas to help you get them back on track:

·         Have them go to bed earlier. 

·         Make the evening meal the same time you would if they were in school. 

·         Have lunch at the same time they would in school so they are not starving the first week of school waiting for lunch.  

·         Have a snack time that coincides with the time they will get home from school. 

·         Limit TV, computer and electronic time and up the family time for the rest of the summer.  They will not go into withdrawal when classes start if they have limited access to their electronics now. 

·         If your kids are late risers, start getting them up earlier and earlier until they get up at the time they normally would on a school day.

·         If you want your kids to have a study and homework time built in to their day when school starts, instill a quiet time now.  That can be the time they read or journal about their summer, or play quietly.

Let your kids know that the rules are changing and why, but don’t forget that summer is supposed to be a down time for them, so have some flexibility if a fun opportunity arises that will take them past the new bed time or other changes you have instilled.