We’re turning another page on the calendar today and you know what that means – it’s almost Back-to-School time! Whether you’re celebrating or mourning, you only have a few more days to prepare yourself and your kids. Make the transition back easier by getting into these five habits now!

Sleeping: Summer sleep schedules are all over the place with travel, special events, and the fact that the sun never goes down but staying up until midnight isn’t going to fly during the school year (Hello, 6:00 a.m.). Start gradually working on earlier bed and wake times now so you’ll all be in the habit by the time school starts. Backing up in 15-minute increments tends to work well. For example, if the kids are sleeping in until 10:30 a.m. now, wake them at 10:15 for a day or two, then 10:00, 9:45, 9:30, etc. On the other end, start the bedtime routine 15 minutes earlier every few days until they’re eventually in bed on time a few days before school starts. Ensure that your child’s bed and wake times during the school year allow the recommended amount of sleep per night by checking out this handy chart from the National Sleep Foundation. Most elementary school-aged kids need 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night but some may require a bit less or more. If your child is hard to wake up in the morning, she’s probably not getting enough rest or the sleep is of poor quality. Although it can be tempting to let kids go to bed late or sleep in on the weekends, that practice could cause problems. If your child’s normal bedtime is 8:00 and he usually wakes up at 6:00, shifting to 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekends should be fine but don’t allow a lot more wiggle room.

Eating: If meals have been a little loose (e.g., a handful of grapes and some Cheetos) this summer, it’s time to get things back on track. Skipping breakfast may have been fine when your kids slept until noon but won’t work once they’re out the door by 7:15 a.m. Plan on three meals a day plus two healthy snacks. Once school starts back, most kids are hungry when they walk in the door so get something in their systems before they go play or start homework. If your child has afterschool activities, keep some fruit, nuts, and water in the car for on-the-go snacking.

Moving: If your kids have been on screens all summer, it’s time they start preparing for the physical demands of the school day now. Brainstorm together a few ways to get them out and moving for at least 45-60 minutes for each of these remaining summer days. Remember there are indoor options like McWane Science Center and trampoline and climbing parks. Once the school year starts, plan for at least 30 minutes of outside time at home either before school if your child’s an early riser or right after school before homework time. For many kids, the time they spend in recess and P.E. may not be enough physical activity so get them moving at home, too.

Playing: Your kiddos probably have several after-school activities that keep them active and engaged, which is great. However, they also need totally unstructured, mindless free time in their daily schedules. Screen-free, ideally. Try to find pockets in the day where your kid isn’t expected to be anywhere doing anything in particular and just let him figure something out. Denise Pope, Stanford University professor and co-author of the book Overloaded and Unprepared, recommends that kids get playtime, downtime, and family time, or “PDF,” every day. A good rule of thumb is to try and make sure the time spent on PDF roughly equals the time spent in structured extracurriculars (e.g., soccer, piano, etc.). Tough to do if your kid is overscheduled so prioritize and don’t try to do everything all at once.

Working: Make homework time less chaotic by creating a quiet space and stocking it with pencils, paper, etc. Prioritize keeping this space clutter-free to reduce stress and make it easier for kids to find what they need. If possible, start homework at a consistent time every day. As a general rule, homework time should last 10 minutes per grade with 1st graders having 10 minutes of work, 2nd graders having 20 minutes, etc. If homework is taking significantly more time, check with your child’s teacher to figure out what’s going on. It can be really problematic for kids to lose sleep or playtime in order to complete homework so problem-solve how to get it all done in a reasonable time frame. Ease your kids back into homework time before school starts by spending some portion of these remaining summer days engaged in reading, science experiments, or internet research on a topic of their choosing.

About Kristen:

Kristen Berthiaume, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with Grayson and Associates. She obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed a predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a post- doctoral fellowship in the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) Program at Duke University Medical Center. She specializes in providing assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families dealing with the following issues: ADHD, learning disorders, social skill deficits, organizational problems, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and depression. She generally focuses on behavioral and cognitive- behavioral techniques, but maintains a flexible approach to therapy. Her other day job is as mom to her daughters, ages ten and four, and seven-year-old son.

By Erika Olson, Redbox: http://blog.redbox.com/

Memories are made in the summertime! At least that’s how it’s always been in my family. Everyone has more free time, is a little more relaxed, and is in a better mood when it’s beautiful outside. That’s why I’m going to try to convince you to do everything you can to pull off a (mostly) outdoor summer movie night this month or next.

Here are a few things to try that will make it an extra-special occasion you’ll never forget:

The Pre-Party – Research has proven that the anticipation you feel leading up to something you’re excited about actually increases your overall happiness. All the more reason to go bananas with your pre-movie celebration with:

– A “red carpet” on your sidewalk, deck, patio or any space leading to your house or movie area. You or your kids could use chalk to draw “Walk of Fame” stars on the ground, or if you have a red sheet you’re willing to roll out for the occasion, go for it! Gold foil could also be used for the stars.

– “Director’s chairs” set up around your lawn, picnic table or deck, each one with the name of a different guest on black paper taped to the back.

– A concession stand offering a variety of popcorn, movie snacks, cotton candy and other treats. You could make this out of a large wagon or a spare table and set it up off to the side of the main festivities.

– Mood-setting music — I’m talking famous film soundtracks or songs from that night’s pick.

– Yep, even more balloons. Has anyone ever gone wrong with “more balloons”? The answer is no.

The Décor – You’ll want both your pre-party area and your movie-watching area (if they’re separate) to drop jaws. It’s honestly not that hard to do, I promise! You just have to search your house, be crafty or be willing to invest in some cheap party supplies. Then you could:

– Make yellow and white popcorn balloons to place around the area or initially together in a big red box. The bigger the box and the more balloons, the better!’

– Scatter “Admit One” tickets everywhere – they’re cheap to buy and easy to make.

– Drape red “curtains” around using spare sheets or colored fabric to really add to the look.

–  Cut huge white H O L L Y W O O D letters out of poster board and place them strategically.

– Try to find movie-themed paper plates, cups, napkins or coasters to set out.

– Keep everything glitzy by sticking to a color scheme of black, red, gold and white as much as possible.

The Main Event – If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor set-up for movie-watching . . . I’m jealous. If you don’t have a ready-made set-up but DO have a yard . . . I’m still jealous (city girl here). Because that means you could possibly still pull off a movie night under the stars, be it through the miracle of extension cords, or a projector and a makeshift white-sheet screen, or a tent and a large laptop or iPad screen to gather around.

But if you have no choice but to bring the party inside when it’s movie time, fear not. As long as you have some cool decorations and plenty of snacks around, it’s all good.

Once the movie comes on, it’s time to kick back, relax and congratulate yourself on adding another great memory to the bank for everyone who’s there.

No matter which season it is, it seems like Consignment Sales always sneak up on me!

If you’ve been considering selling but don’t know where to start, keep these tips in mind. First of all, breathe. Getting started is the hardest part. Once you get your system started, you’ll be Rockin’ and Rollin’ like a pro. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by mounds of clothes, it’s easy to do.

Wire hangers will be your new best friend, find a good supplier and hit them up, like now! Make sure to read over the rules of the sale that you will be participating in, each sale has their own guidelines. Some accept the wire hangers with the cardboard, some do not.

Here some additional tips for selling:

–          Clean and pressed items sell best

–          Name brands always sell best.

–          Items should be stain & odor free

–          Make sure to follow the rules & guidelines for each sale to make sure your items sell and you are able to make more money!

–          If you would not buy the item for your child, it may be better just to donate that item, rather than consign.

When it comes to pricing, remember a good guideline is about 1/3 of what you paid for it. Brand names or items new with tags will get a little more.

While we are frequent shoppers at stores like Target, I will not purchase a used t-shirt for a dollar less than what I could have bought it new. Save yourself the trouble of tagging it and just donate it.

When it comes to shopping, consider volunteering. Volunteers who help work the sale get to shop first and get some of the best deals. Also, be sure to arrive early.  At many of the more popular consignment sales a line will form in advance of the opening door time and whatever you do have fun!  Consignment sales are a good place to find great deals while helping out local preschools and those who sell at consignment sales.

Have any tips or tricks you’ve picked up from participating in consignment sales? Share with the class!

Don’t forget to check out Mother Of All Consignment Sale Lists for this fall 2022!