Getting the Kids Ready for School (Again! Already?)Note: For more information and special deals related to the topics on this page, place your cursor over the double-underlined words. All information supplied by Kontera.com. 
Brace yourself: It's that time again. Time to crack the books and start setting the alarms.As summer's lazy days give way to fall's inevitable bustle, consider embracing the change of seasons earlier this year. 1 Clothes InspectionPut on the no-nonsense drill sergeant's hat for this closets and drawers makeover.With your son or daughter's assistance, toss or give away everything that's too grungy or small to wear to again this year. This is a good time to pass all your child's clothes under the mommy radar. After all, as long as you're both in there, make the most of this organizing time together! Make a list of what you'll need to shop for in the weeks ahead (a new sweater, a pair of pants) based on what's heading out the door without replacements. If your child's school requires uniforms, this is the time to order new sweatshirts or sweaters and the like. Consider devoting a couple of drawers or part of the closet to school clothes - especially if your kids wear uniforms. Inventory what you have and make a shopping list for the rest. Be sure to take advantage of end-of-season Labor Day sales! 2 Primping PrimerHelp the kids clean out their bathroom of last semester's hair gels and stretched-out scrunchies. Make sure your son or daughter everything needed to streamline morning grooming.This is especially important if you've got teens. If you have a couple of kids sharing a bath, keep it simple and avoid the "It's her/his mess!" argument before voices (and tempers) rise. Get each a different color handled tote, inside which he or she can stash all his or her grooming supplies. Then just pick up and go! (to the bathroom for tooth brushing and other essential pre-school hygiene, that is.) 3 Study HallCreate a homework center.Choose a place where each child can work in comfort and without distraction. Stock nearby drawers or cabinets with school supplies. Consider creating a kitchen study hall so you can keep an eye on the kids' progress and be nearby to answer any homework questions. You may also want to consider picking up a portable plastic file bin to store ongoing projects and finished work. Already have a study area in place? Now's the time to go out with the old and in with the new. Win the paper chase: set up 'in' and 'out' boxes for school papers. Kids unload backpacks and drop off papers to be checked, signed, etc., in the 'in' box. You leave signed papers, money, checks and permission slips in the 'out' box. 4 Backpacking ZoneCreate a backpack drop zone near the entry door. They're going to do it anyway, so why not be prepared with a place to actually catch them? (See create a coming-home center to help you get started.)It can be anything that fits the space and your family's style - cubbies, storage bins, even a spot on the floor. But make sure you designate an area somewhere or you'll be tripping over backpacks for the next nine months. 5 Encourage the Lunch BunchStock a lunch center in a kitchen cabinet and/or countertop with zip lock bags, peanut butter, acceptable snacks such as fruit, treats and water bottles or juice boxes.In the weeks ahead, let the kids choose a new lunch box to make lunch more fun. If they can (notice I didn't say `offer to') make their own lunch, insist they do. It's the very first part of the new school year's learning process - the teaching of essential life skills. Dorm Notes: Organizing for the College-Bound Student
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