Ok so some parents are counting the days while others are starting to stress out over the return of chaos. Whatever camp you fall into, there’s only a couple of weeks left for kids to enjoy summer camp, vacationing, lazy, hazy days at the beach with friends and family or just sleeping in. Soon it’ll be time once again for classes, homework and those tons of “extracurricular” activities. The transition can be just as taxing for parents, who now have to reorganize their schedules for school drop off/pick ups, getting their kids to and from practices and recitals, lessons and play dates and making sure their children are studying and doing homework. So we’ve compiled a few things to keep in mind and mull over, to help you and your family get back into the swing of things as we begin another busy school year.

The Early Bird gets the Worm – Your child may have been allowed to stay up a little later and sleep in a little longer this summer, but now’s the time to get them back on a regular schedule. No kid likes to go to bed. So it’s a good idea to set a bedtime (the same time they’d be going to bed on school nights) a couple weeks before school starts, so they can get adjusted to the change with less drama. The same goes for the morning. Have them get up at the time they’d be getting up to get ready for school. This should save you some grief on the first day of school when your child would generally be begging for “just 10 more minutes!”

Traveling to and from school – If you don’t personally drive your child to and from school, other modes of transportation may be more convenient, but safety issues should be discussed with your child. If they walk to school, make sure they have a buddy to walk with—don’t let them walk alone! Teach them the importance of obeying traffic signals and street signs. If riding a bicycle, ALWAYS wear a helmet and avoid loose fitting clothes that could get caught in spokes or pedals. And before the start of school, go over the route with them a couple of times so the trip is familiar and they won’t get confused or intimidated.

If you have teen-aged children, they may be driving or riding with other teenaged drivers. Having too many people in the car talking and listening to music can be a major distraction for young, inexperienced drivers. Limit the number of passengers your child is allowed to transport, or be part of in a car driven by a student, and do not allow them to talk or text on their phones or eat or drink EVER while driving.

Protecting Your Belongings at School - Things sure have changed since the days of bringing dolls and baseball cards to show-and-tell. Now children are carrying expensive items with them to school, like cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, digital cameras and electronic games, that could make them a target for theft or those items could easily be damaged. The best advice to avoid having these expensive items stolen or damaged is: don’t bring it if you don’t need it for school. Some schools may not even allow certain devices to be on school grounds, so check with your child’s school on their policies before you find out the hard way. If your child must bring valuables to school with them, they need to make a conscious effort to protect their belongings. Keep them locked in a locker at all times, or keep the items with them, safely tucked into a backpack that doesn’t leave their sight. Don’t flash these items around for others to see either. Your child may think their new iPod is cool and wants to flaunt it, but you never know who may be watching with ill will.

If your child becomes a victim of theft at school, it should be reported immediately to school administration. Children should not take these matters into their own hands!

Lighten that Load! – Overloaded backpacks can cause serious strain on your child’s back and neck. Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. A backpack should never weigh more than 10-20% of your child’s body weight so pack light and utilize all of the compartments to distribute weight more evenly. Always use both straps too, because carrying the backpack over only one shoulder may strain muscles and increase curvature of the spine.

Get Involved – Communicating with your child’s teachers is important for their success at school. While report cards tell you how your child did in each class, knowing how they’re doing between report cards can help correct issues before it’s too late. Meet with your child’s teachers as soon as school starts and communicate with them often. When parent-teach conference time rolls around, make a list of questions and issues you’d like to discuss so you’ll get the most out of the meeting.

Other great ways to stay involved are attending school events, volunteering at events, joining the PTA and coaching your child’s sports team. These are great opportunities to spend time with your child, and see how they interact with others.

After School - You may work until 5, 6 or 7 some nights but your child gets out of school at 2:15. What can you do to make sure your child is safe until you get home? Many schools are offering extended hours, both before and after school for a fee, where they’ll stay at the school and participate in supervised activities or work on homework until you arrive to pick them up. You many also consider enrolling them in after school activities such as dance classes, karate classes or sports to keep them occupied. There are other options as well such as forming play groups in the neighborhood where all the parents take turns hosting the kids or working times out with other parents who get home earlier and can supervise your child at their house. There’s always the Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts and many after-school clubs. Local libraries also offer activities after school to keep kids engaged. Be Prepared – Make the transition of summer fun to back-to-school a smooth one by checking out your child’s school’s website for any important dates and info. Many offer information on before and after care, school supply lists, suggested summer reading lists, sports tryouts and more. Also, check out our School Life section on page 71 to find out what our writers have to say about our local schools. And lastly, enjoy the last few weeks of fun in the sun before it’s time to hit the books!