Healthy Living

7 STRATEGIES TO REDUCE BACK-TO-SCHOOL STRESS

Just when those new flip-flops are finally breaking in, you see another school year looming on the horizon: ads for back-to-school sales, supply lists from teachers, the start of fall sports practices.

You don't have to lose your summertime feeling. But taking a few small steps during the early weeks of August will ensure a smoother ride back to school for everyone.

• Get those doctor and dentist appointments in. If your kids play sports, you'll need physicals signed by a doctor. And if you get those preventative care appointments in now, your child will miss less class time during the school year.
  
  
• Start a simple filing system. Use whatever categories work best for you. Each member of the family should have their own file. Some ideas: School forms and schedules, medical care, sports activities, volunteer commitments, grades and test scores. Keep the files close to where the incoming paperwork arrives, so you can drop information in appropriate files as you receive it. You'll save hours of frustration.
  
  
• TIP FOR PARENTS OF COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS: Start a file marked "RESUME" for your child the first year he or she enters high school. Whenever your student racks up volunteer hours, earns an award or any kind of recognition, participates in sports, church or community activities, joins a club, works at a summer job, make a note of it (include dates and pertinent information) and drop it in the file. This will come in enormously handy when it comes time to assemble applications for college entry, scholarships, jobs, competitive camp opportunities or honor societies.
  
  
• MORE TIPS FOR PARENTS OF COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS: Junior and senior years of high school are busy, busy, busy. Not only will you have the frenzy of applications for college and financial aid, SAT and ACT scores and college visits. There's a whole social aspect to contend with: prom, graduation, senior pictures and lots more. While you're creating a file system, make a file for each of the items just mentioned. You'll save yourself a great deal of time if everything is assembled in one place.
  
  
• Go ahead and buy some school supplies now. At least the ones you know your child will need. Certain things can be stockpiled when they go on sale: pens and pencils, loose leaf paper, colored folders, binders, poster board, markers. Let your children pick out their own supplies to muster a little back-to-school enthusiasm. Get those new backpacks, which are often on sale in August.
  
  
• Check your school's calendar and mark important events on your home calendar: not only the day school starts, but open houses, school picture day, sporting events, holidays, etc.
  
  
• If your child is starting at a new school, arrange to have a walk-through before the beginning of the year to ease jitters.