The hype of the new school year is beginning to wear off… is your child losing motivation in the classroom? And better yet, are you involved at their school? Experts say that parental involvement is one of the most important things that will keep a child motivated about school. Here are some resources to keep you and your child engaged during the school year, plus we’ve added a few tips for boosting their brains during the holidays and “off track” weeks.

Keeping Your KIDS Involved:

Some simple tips to keep your kids motivated and involved in school… One thing you’ll need? Consistency.

Worried that your child will lose all motivation with academics during the summer? Studying in the summertime? A fair balance between learning and summer fun will allow a child to have fun, as well as help to prevent summer brain drain. Check out these ideas…

How do you keep your child motivated about school? What you can do for your child at home and general tips to help them succeed in the classroom.

How YOU Can be Involved:

Research shows that children succeed academically, socially and emotionally when their parents are involved in their education and school activities. From communication to accommodation, this site shows you how…

A forum you have to read– great advice on getting involved in the classroom.

Parent involvement is much more than parent-teacher-conferences and the PTA. Learn about practical ways in which schools are involving parents… they could work for you!

Keeping your KIDS Motivated During the Summer:

Many kids look forward to a break from school during the summer, but that does not mean they cannot learn while having fun. Check out this site for ideas to keep your kids learning when they are not in school.

A great article! Teachers offer their best advice for sneaking education into summer fun.

Don’t let your kids forget everything they learned at school during the summer! This site offers a bunch of ways to boost your kid’s education by preventing summer learning loss.

By Shaun Dreisbach, Parenting

It can seem like Invasion of the Body Snatchers: The school bus pulls up and instead of that smiling, happy kid who left this morning, off comes a grumpy, whining, tantrum-prone look-alike. "Going back to school is completely draining for kids — mentally, physically, and emotionally. By the time they get home, they almost can’t help but fall apart," says Jed Baker, Ph.D., the Maplewood, NJ, author of No More Meltdowns. 

Below, some end-of-the-day-insanity prevention strategies: 

Set an after-school timeline
Then stick to the routine. If your kid knows exactly what to expect — and when to expect it — he’s less apt to be surprised (and set off) when, say, you ask him to turn off the TV and come to dinner.

Get some food into him — stat
Your child is already exhausted; add low blood sugar to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. A small snack and a glass of milk can work wonders.

Defuse homework tantrums
Don’t wait too long to do homework, says Baker. Give your child a bite to eat, a little playtime, and then get right to it. If his tired brain can’t deal, calm him by saying something like "It’s okay, you’re not supposed to know this stuff — that’s why you’re learning it." Then help him break down the assignment into more manageable parts.

Bribe!
Offer a privilege or treat — a little extra video time, a promise of pancakes the next morning — if your child tries hard to hold it together.

Tackle the tough stuff first
Instead of spending an hour trying to get your kid to brush his teeth and put on pj’s, have him do it right after dinner — before any fun pre-bed activities.

Do something really mellow right before bed
Try turning off the lights and making shadows on the wall with a flashlight. I listen to books on tape — also in a dark room — with my cranky kid. After one chapter he shuffles right upstairs to bed. Magic!

“How was school today?”

“Fine.”

“Well, what did you do?”

“Nothin’.”

We’ve all been there. Getting kids to talk about their day can be quite the challenge for parents as well as after-school nannies and babysitters. Add in the chaos of the back-to-school season, the repressed energy from being in a classroom all day long and the same mundane question over and over, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for one-word answers.

But you don’t want one-word answers. You want engagement, excitement and conversation! The good news is that you and your after-school child care provider can achieve this improved communication by following Sittercity.com’s five talking tactics to get real responses from your school-age child.

1. WAIT FOR THE CHILD TO WIND DOWN

As soon as kids walk through the door, your instinct might be to immediately ask the “dreaded” question. Don’t. Kids, just like adults, often need time to unwind from the busy day and will be more likely to share stories with you after some time has passed between getting off the school bus and getting out of school mode.

2. BE SPECIFIC

Asking, “How was school today?” is too much of an open-ended question for kids to tackle, especially when they don’t think anything noteworthy happened. To make it easier for children to respond, hone your question to something more specific. Try questions such as:

“What did they talk about in your assembly today?”

“Who did you play with at recess this afternoon?”

“Tell me two new things your teacher taught during your lessons.”

“What was the best thing that happened to you today?”

3. TALK ABOUT YOUR OWN DAY

Talking about your own day will encourage conversation, and your child will feel less like he’s on trial and more like he’s sharing in a give-and-take grown-up situation. A great way to further encourage your child to share is to ask him if he had a similar experience as you did this afternoon. Example: “When I was in a big meeting this afternoon, I came up with a good idea that my boss loved. I was very proud of myself! What were you proud about today in school?”

4. BE GOOFY

With younger children, don’t be afraid to be a little goofy. Tell them how you think their day went, and include out-of-place details and silly assumptions so that they correct you, giggling of course. “So, you got to school and told the class to be quiet and you read a book to them- Oh, you didn’t read it, that’s right! The teacher read a book to the class. Then you had recess, then lunch. No? Silly me, it was lunch then recess! What did you do at recess?”

5. BE PATIENT

Don’t expect change to happen overnight, but if you and your after-school babysitter keep consistent with your talking tactics, your child will follow your cues and open up. In the meantime, remember that you’re still bonding and building a foundation for open communication in the future!

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Sittercity is offering TodaysMama readers, 10% off a Sittercity.com membership. Just use the coupon code “TODAYSMAMA09″ when you sign up.

Back to school for many school kids means new clothes, new supplies, and new backpacks. It can also mean new back ACHES.

Children who frequently and repetitively use poorly fitted or loaded backpacks are subject to neck pain, back pain, headaches, and other problems associated with poor posture. Research shows more than 7000 emergency room visits result from injuries associated with backpacks and these injuries have increased 330% since 1996.

Wellness doctor and chiropractor, Dr. Ryan Coogan, has addressed some of the key issues surrounding children’s health and safety with their backpacks below. He is a member of Backpack Safety America and a certified fellow in Clinical Biomechanics of Posture.

Here are some quick, easy, and helpful tips to prevent injury and pain in children:

CHOOSE RIGHT — Choosing the correct sized backpack is an important first step to safe backpack use. The backpack should not be larger than three quarters of the length of a child’s back. The shoulder straps should be padded and a waist strap is ideal.

PACK RIGHT — The maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 15% of your child’s body weight, so only pack what is needed. Heavier books should be closer to the child. Regardless of the weight, if the backpack forces the wearer to bend forward to carry, it is overloaded.

LIFT RIGHT — Even adults can hurt themselves if they lift 20 pounds improperly. Imagine what a child could do to a growing spine lifting 20 pounds improperly. Here are the guidelines for lifting a backpack:

a) Face the pack

b) Bend at the knees

c) Use both hands and check the weight of the pack

d) Lift with the legs

e) Apply one shoulder strap, then the other

4. WEAR RIGHT — Use both shoulder straps snug but not too tight (the pack should not hang down past the waist). When the backpack has a waist strap, it should be used.

The phrase “back-to-school” conjures up images of backpacks, bag lunches, new school supplies and perhaps a homework tantrum or two. For parents, back-to-school is a time to make sure the children are well prepared for the transition from summer fun to classroom structure. But many end up forgetting one crucial element of back-to-school planning…

Preparing their after-school babysitters and nannies.

Since these after-school child care providers are the ones who will be in charge of the afternoon routines and homework help, it’s especially important that they’re well prepared for the school year. These quick back-to-school tips from Sittercity.com will help you make sure you’ve got everything covered when it comes to your after-school caregiver.

SETTING EXPECTATIONS

During the sitter interviews, before you’ve actually hired your after-school babysitter, it’s a good idea to run through some of the school-year routines so that caregivers will know what to expect on the job.

This includes:

Who picks the children up from school (the bus, a car pool parent, the babysitter?)

Any after-school activities the babysitter will have to take kids to

Whether or not you expect the sitter to help with homework

Who will be responsible for preparing meals and/or feeding the children (you or the sitter?)

What time you expect to be home and how often you tend to run late

WRITING DOWN THE RULES

Once you’ve hired your after-school babysitter or nanny, you must write down the rules you expect her and the children to follow while you’re gone. This ensures that the caregiver won’t forget anything and will keep the routines consistent for the children, which does a great deal to help with the back-to-school transition.

These rules can include:

When homework/studying should be done and how much time children should spend on it

Whether or not the children may have friends over for a playdate

How much TV the children are allowed to watch, if any

What types of foods are acceptable (and unacceptable) for after-school snacks

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Since many children get involved with after-school activities, clubs or sports, your after-school babysitter should have a written schedule of these activities to help keep track of everything. If the babysitter will be responsible for picking the children up from any of these activities, you should also print out directions and a map to make sure the babysitter doesn’t get lost.

CREATE AN INFO CENTER

The written rules, the after-school schedules and the directions/maps should all be in the same place every time the babysitter comes over. Creating an “info center” like this is a great way to keep everything organized. (This is also where you should keep all emergency phone numbers.)

Another nice thing about having one central info center is that the after-school babysitter can use it to place thing like notes the children bring home from school, the mail or any other items that may need your attention. Putting these things in a basket is a simple way to keep it all together and keep your school year running smoothly.

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Sittercity is offering TodaysMama readers, 10% off a Sittercity.com membership. Just use the coupon code “TODAYSMAMA09″ when you sign up.

Does your child need to brush up on their study skills? Is homework time a battle each and every night?

From after-school activities to family functions, it often seems like you can’t fit everything into one day and night! “Homework time” in many families can be stressful and tension-filled for everyone involved. Although there’s no magic formula for getting your kids to hit the books, we do have a bunch of helpful homework tips to help your family in and out of the classroom. Happy Homework!

KidzWorld

Brush Up on Your Study Skills! Kidzworld has a bunch of helpful homework tips that’ll send your kids on their way to acing their next big exam!

Your Digital Life

Looking for helpful homework tips for you and your kids? This site offers guidelines and tools that will make your household much more conducive for helping your students succeed at school.

Parenting Bookmark

Parents make a difference! Check out these homework tips for parents, ways to minimize nagging and maximize learning.

Ed.gov

General homework, reading , and math tips for parents. A thorough guide to your child’s academic success.

About.com Homework Tips

The Top 5 Healthy Homework Habits… Take care of your mind and body! From avoiding pain in your hands and neck to improving your memory… these tips cover it all!

Family Education

This site has the resources you need to help your child master his homework – everything from printables to organizational tools.

Kid Source

When parents become involved in their children’s schoolwork, the children do better in school. One way you can get involved is by helping your child with homework. Check out these ten tips to help with that involvement.

Do you remember walking into school with your social studies project and feeling proud of your handiwork? The diorama of Johnny Appleseed, stuffed inside a shoebox, is perfect. You collected the seeds from your family’s apple snacks for two weeks, and feel sure of an “A” grade–until you look over at Susan Smith’s diorama with store-bought figurines, placed inside a custom-made plexiglass box. Hers is impeccable, and your spirits fall. But when it’s time to present your project to the class, Susan doesn’t have much to say. She’s quiet, can’t answer the teacher’s questions, and doesn’t seem that pleased with her display. What’s wrong with her?

It could be that Susan is just shy in front of the class, or it could be that she didn’t make her project, and has nothing to feel proud of. The only thing worse than the latter is when a kid doesn’t make their own project, yet still comes to school full of themselves and the fib of their work.

I’ve seen this firsthand as a student, and later as a teacher. I had a seventh-grade student whose mom often did her at-home work for her, yet the girl would come to school with a swelled chest and lord her accomplishments over the other students. It’s difficult to prove such goings-on, but teachers know the difference between a student’s abilities and efforts in the class and what suddenly appears during “homework.”

Surprisingly, however, I can sympathize.

I am the product of a perfectionist father and a hard-driven mother. Each time I had a paper to write, my mom was beside me at the library, looking up books that were beyond my scope as a sixth-grader. Then I had to sit with her and comb through the books while she taught me to take notes. We also did this for each chapter I studied for each subject, in preparation for tests. The morning of a test, I would board the school bus with a stack of notes that broke down the chapter into easy bullet points, facts and figures.

So Mom was into school, but she didn’t do the work for me. I guess she was an enforcer and personal teacher, and eventually I learned how to perform these study tricks on my own.

The real trick is to find that middle ground between Helper and Doer.

* Show your student how to do something new 1-2 times, and then let her sort it out on her own. The result may not be perfect, but she’s learning the task and gaining confidence in her abilities.

* Hold back. Don’t always rush in with the correct answer, but hold back and let him problem-solve on his own before seeking your help.

* Ask questions. Rather than correcting your student (“Trees are green, not red!”), find out the reasons for her choices. There could be creativity at work if it’s an art project, or she really may need help following directions if they stipulate coloring the tree green, the apples red, etc.

* Communicate with the teacher in a positive manner. At the beginning of each school year, my mom would meet my teacher and basically say, “I’m here for my daughter, and I’m also on your side. Let me know if there are problems or if there’s a way I can help.” This is a way to let the teacher know you support him or her in the pursuit of your child’s education.

* Listen to your child, but don’t always assume he’s the victim. Sometimes kids blame their school problems on their teacher. If this happens, call the teacher and voice your concern in a positive way. Rather than saying, “Matt says you don’t like him,” try “Matt is having trouble in math, and says the pace of the lessons is too fast for him. Have you noticed any difficulty with him in your class?” This is an open-ended question, rather than a blame-game.

* Let your child do nightly homework on her own, and then check it over. Say, “You may want to look over #5 again,” and then see if she finds the mistake on her own.

* Spending money on school assignments is almost never a teacher’s intentions. If you spend more than $5-10 on basic materials (poster board, markers, glue…), you may be over-thinking the assignment. Read the instructions carefully, discuss the project with your child and feel free to ask the teacher for clarity.

* If your child wants to try something he doesn’t know how to do, teach him. My brother once decided to make a wooden duck for a project, but had never done such work before–he was in second grade. Our grandfather taught him how to glue wood together, cut out a basic shape and sand it into a duck form. It was a great learning and bonding experience for them both. It helps that our grandfather is very patient and nurturing.

* Possibly the worst culprit in parent over-involvement is a lack of time–as in, your kid remembers a big paper at 7pm Sunday night, and it’s due Monday morning, so everyone desperately pitches in. It’s better to be very involved in your child’s daily homework schedule than in the project itself. Give your son or daughter a calendar where he or she writes the assignments and due dates. Check on it each day. If using this is a chronic problem, have the teacher sign off on it at the end of each day. I had eighth-graders who needed to use this system, but it works–and it helps your family schedule large projects out for a realistic time frame.

* An “A” grade isn’t the most important component in school. Learning is. Give your child the space to learn at his own pace, enjoy the process and retain the information for the rest of his or her life.

By Stephanie Dolgoff, Parenting

For a kid, going from a hazy, lazy summer where the only thing she has on her schedule is scratching a mosquito bite (and even then only if she feels like it!) to having to rise with the sun, look remotely human, and pay attention all day can be a major shock. But there are ways you can make things go more smoothly, starting right now.

Reset Her Body Clock
Odds are, she’s been trapping toads until late into the evening and then sleeping in. Easing her back to a school-year schedule will ensure that she shows up bright-eyed, if not bushy-tailed, says Rafael Pelayo, M.D., a pediatric sleep specialist at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic in Redwood City, CA. Here’s how:

Spin Sleep

“You have to get the kids on board,” says Dr. Pelayo. If she sees going to bed as a punishment or a bummer, she’s going to avoid it. But if she understands that sleep is good for her, just as exercise is, she may resist less. “Talk about it like ‘It’s not that you have to go to sleep, but that you get to go to sleep.’” It also helps to tell her that you’re going to be resetting your schedule, too, and have only incredibly boring stuff — cleaning the bathroom, discussing health care reform with her father — planned for the evening. “That way, the kid doesn’t feel punished. It’s the whole family getting ready.”

Do the Math

Calculate the hour at which she’ll need to get up in order to get to school on time (allowing a generous cushion for chaos) and count backward nine or so hours. That’s her “falling-asleep time” once school starts, says Dr. Pelayo. Her bedtime might be 10 or 20 minutes before that.

Shift her To-Bed and Wake-Up Times

If she’s been going to bed too late, beginning two weeks before school starts, move her bedtime up about 20 minutes every three or so days. “You cannot expect a kid who’s been staying up until eleven to go to bed at nine all at once,” says Dr. Pelayo. “She’s just going to get frustrated and lie awake.” This change also means that exciting activities like TV watching and texting friends have to end earlier in the evening so your kid has time to wind down. Also, from the very first day you start shifting her bedtime, start rousing her at the time she’ll need to get up for school so she’ll tire earlier at night.

Make Getting Up Worth It

Dr. Pelayo recommends that, after you flip on the light and open the bedroom shades to let in the brightest sun possible, you let your kid play a video game or watch TV first thing in the morning — at least for a few days. “It may sound like blasphemy, but think about it: Waking up is biological. Getting out of bed, on the other hand, is volitional.” In other words, give her some incentive. By the start of school, her body will be in the habit of getting up earlier.

Don’t Force It

On the night before school starts, your child might be too hopped-up to get to bed on time. “It’s not a big deal for one night,” says Dr. Pelayo; her excitement will fuel her that first day. Saying something like “You have to go to sleep because tomorrow is the first day of school” will only add to the pressure. “You can’t force yourself to fall asleep,” he says.

Get a Workplace that Works
Just as nature will reclaim an abandoned property by engulfing it in spooky trees and tall grass, your child’s desk, if you can even see it, is by now probably home to toys, trophies, discarded clothing, and artwork that’s just short of being good enough for refrigerator display. Not exactly a place that encourages focus. The best way to set up your child’s homework space? Let him do it, says Marcella Moran, an educational consultant and coauthor of Organizing the Disorganized Child. “Parents tend to organize their kids based on their own organization style,” says Moran. “That works for you, but it may not work for your child.”

That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t help your kid discover his perfect, intuitive workspace. After the desk is cleared, have him sit down at it. Ask him to close his eyes and name the essential items he needs to do his homework. (These may include pens, books, a calculator, a computer, and even a drink or snack. Some kids work well with an iPod playing soft music.) Then have him place his hand where he’d think to grab the item. Wherever it is he reaches, that’s where that object should live. Repeat this process with all the essentials. (Some kids might do this better with their eyes open, and that’s fine.) Voila! The perfect setup for your child to work efficiently.

Deal With “I Don’t Want to Go to School!”

Unless you homeschool, there’s no question your kid has to be backpack-on, lunch-box-in-hand ready on day one. Still, replying “You have to go, or Mommy and Daddy will go to jail,” while true, isn’t ideal. Ask him exactly what it is about school that’s eating at him, advises Ruth Peters, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Clearwater, FL, and don’t accept “Everything” as an answer. Probe gently, and depending on what he says, here’s how to help him wrap his mind around the fact that September is just around the corner.

If what he means is: I don’t want summer to end. Well, who can blame him? “But help put that in perspective,” says Peters. “Dreading the end of a good thing doesn’t mean that school is a bad thing.” A reminder of the aspects of school that he adored last year — friends, clubs, a particular subject — should do it.

If what he means is: I’ve heard older kids say school is not cool. You should be able to ferret this out pretty easily. Then a quick “Are you kidding? What’s not cool about meeting new people and learning new things?” should do it for a kindergartner or first-grader. To an older kid, you might say, “Do you really dislike school, all day, every day?” If it’s fear of seeming uncool, he will probably be able to name some aspects of school he enjoys, and you can just remind him that he doesn’t have to pretend to dislike something just to fit in.

If what he means is: I’m afraid of the work. Reassure him that the first six weeks of school is always a catch-up time, says Peters, and that when the pace picks up, you’ll do whatever he needs to support him. “You can always get a tutor to help out,” adds Peters, who points out that a high school student will often do it for little money. But watch your language here. “You want to empathize about the fact that certain things may be hard,” she says, without making the problem seem insurmountable. So avoid saying something like “Yeah, none of us Spunkmeyers is good at math — you got the gene!” Instead, try “Yes, math can be tough. But we’ll figure it out one way or another.”

If what he means is: I’m worried I’ll have no friends/be bullied/have to eat lunch alone. Social worries are huge for kids and can cause a lot of anxiety about the start of school. “If something happened last year, they’re probably thinking that more of the same is going to happen,” says Peters. There’s a lot you can do, though. Find out before his first day if his friends are going to be in his class, and if they’re not, prepare him for that by talking over whom he can eat lunch with and making plans for after school. See if you can have a late-summer playdate to reconnect him with some of the kids he likes, or even arrange to have breakfast on the first day of school with his best friend and his best friend’s mom. The more he knows about what’s coming up, the better he’ll feel.

Not Least: Meet the Teacher!
In the week before school starts — after that, things will be madness — make contact either in person or via e-mail and introduce yourself. You can let her know if your child has any particular sensitivities or if he or she needs special accommodations. Plus, it’ll start off your relationship on a positive note.

Stephanie Dolgoff is Parenting’s editor-at-large. Her blog is Formerlyhot.com.

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More from the August issue of Parenting:

SCHOOL SUPPLY BUYING GUIDE

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: 7 strategies for raising a good eater

WAS MOM RIGHT? 9 health “truths,” then and now

Transitioning from summer fun, swimming pools and beach vacations to new teachers, structured lesson plans and harder-than-last-year homework can be a total shock to kids’ systems. As if entering a new grade (and possibly a new school) wasn’t already hard enough, the sharp contrast between July’s carefree activities and September’s strict schedule can add another layer of stress to grade school children.

To help these children avoid back-to-school shock this year, Sittercity.com has some back-to-school tips that parents — and after-school nannies and babysitters — can follow to help make the school-year transition a smooth one.

BRING BACK THE SCHOOL-YEAR ROUTINES

Summertime often means open schedules and the ability to do/plan anything you’d like. The school year, of course, is the complete opposite. To help children go from summer’s freedom to the school year’s structured scheduling, start implementing consistent dinnertimes, bedtime routines and bedtimes at least one week before the first day of school (if not earlier).

VISIT THE SCHOOL/CLASSROOM

To help the stress that stems from the fear of the unknown, take younger children to the school so they can see their new classroom before school actually starts. Be enthusiastic and get excited about everything — “Look at that! Your name is already on your cubby!” (Even better if the child can meet his teacher.) Afterwards, do something extra special like going out for ice cream to help end the experience on a positive note.

READ BACK-TO-SCHOOL BOOKS

Kids love to be read to and books are a great way to bring back-to-school issues out into the open so you or your babysitter can address them before school actually starts. When you’re done reading, ask questions like, “What did you think of that?” or, “Are you excited like character-X or a little nervous like character-Y?”

ARRANGE A BACK-TO-SCHOOL PLAYDATE

If your child knows any of the children who are going to be in the classroom this year, arrange a late summer playdate with that child so your own little one will feel more comfortable walking into school and seeing a familiar face.

ROLE-PLAY WITH EDUCATION

Get babysitters involved by introducing school-themed make-believe games. Kids love these role-playing activities — not to mention it could reveal some underlying concerns that your child has about the upcoming school year. According to the APA, “in a number of studies, Singer and Singer’s (1992, 2001) research team trained parents, teachers and home care providers in make-believe games that included lessons about numbers, colors, shapes, vocabulary and reading. These researchers found that children who play with their caregivers in these imaginative ways make significant gains in readiness skills, as compared to a control group whose caregivers did not learn these play skills.”

GET KIDS INVOLVED

Every parent knows that going back to school requires quite a bit of prep work — let your kids help! They can pack their backpacks the night before (throw in a familiar toy, picture or little note if it will help them feel more secure), help make their own lunches and pick out their favorite clothes for the big day.

BE POSITIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC

Help get your child excited about going back to school by talking about all of the fun aspects of getting back in the classroom. Remind him of all the fun he’s going to have at recess with other kids, how good he’ll be great at kickball in gym, how incredibly smart he’s going to be from all the lessons and how cool it will be to do new activities in the classroom — things he can show you and his after-school babysitter when he gets home!

INTRODUCE THE NEW AFTER-SCHOOL BABYSITTER

If your summer sitter is heading back to college and you already know who the after-school replacement will be, make sure your child does too. Invite the after-school babysitter over for a mother’s helper period where she watches the kids while you’re still home (yes, you’ll be paying her). That way, the kids get to know her but still have the comfort of knowing that you’re in the other room.

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Sittercity is offering TodaysMama readers, 10% off a Sittercity.com membership. Just use the coupon code “TODAYSMAMA09″ when you sign up.

Welcome to August! As summer winds down and school is gears up, school shopping is looming large. If you want this year’s shopping adventures to be manageable and fun and you’d also like to save time, energy and money, try this three-step solution.

Step 1: Plan

Create an Inventory

Before you step foot inside a store, remember that you will save time, energy and money if you know what you’re there for. And you can’t know what you need until you know what you already have. Create an inventory by spending 20 to 30 minutes with each child determining what he or she can still use from last year. As you inventory current items, you can create the following categories:

Keep. In this category are items your child can still use and/or wear and items that you can hand down to younger siblings. You can move a few worn items into your emergency prep kit or save them for camping. You may also wish to create “To Grow Into” and “Off-Season” containers for clothing and shoes you want to save for future use.

Swap. Arrange to swap clothing with neighbors, friends or family members.

Donate. Choose the donation option that best suits you. There are several centers and associations to whom you can donate both used and new articles of clothing and accessories. Here’s a list to get you started:

* Good Will.

* Children’s shelters.

* Homeless shelters.

* Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

* Drug rehabilitation centers.

* Children’s hospitals.

* YWCA.

* Neighbors.

* Friends.

Sell. If you’d like to generate some cash from your unused items, you might launch a yard sale, sell your items online or take them to a consignment store.

Create a Purchase List

Now that you know exactly what you have, you can make a list of what you need. To simplify the process, create your lists by child. Make sure to include—

* Clothing.

* Undergarments.

* Shoes.

* Backpacks.

* Lunch boxes.

* Supplies. (Go here for a good list of school and craft supplies.)

Determine Your Budget

After deciding what you need to purchase, it’s time to determine your budget. You may want to involve your child in the budgeting so you can discuss which items are budgeted “must haves” and who is paying for what, if applicable. To help with budgeting, you can create a spreadsheet to track your expenditures. You may also wish to determine which purchases will be made online so you can check their prices before heading to the store and scour weekly ads for the best deals.

Save Your Sanity

Two final pieces of sanity-saving advice:

Map your shopping excursion geographically. If you have created your master list in Excel, you can sort by your “Store” or “Where to Buy” column, and all items from the same stores will be grouped together. If your master list is in a hand-written format, take some time to go through the list to group items together by store or to highlight each store by color. Map your stops by proximity of stores to each other so you can save time.

Try to shop with the fewest children possible, particularly when shopping for clothing items. You will save time, energy, stress and money if you don’t have to wrangle 4 children into a dressing room!

Step 2: Shop

Shopping day is about minimizing effort and maximizing results. To get the most benefit for your time, energy and money, keep these guidelines in mind.

Get a sitter. If you’ve ever tried to marathon shop with several children, this point needs no explanation. Whether you opt to swap sitting with a friend, hire a high-schooler, leave the kids you’re not shopping for with your spouse or relatives or use a drop-in center, you and your little shopper will have much more fun if you don’t have to manage meltdowns (including your own).

Shop during “off” hours if possible. Early morning and late evening can be less crowded than daytime hours. Decide whether this makes a difference to you, and plan your schedule accordingly.

Answer only more urgent cell phone calls, and don’t stop to text. You are likely to forget things and will take longer to find what you’re looking for if you are distracted by talking or texting.

Stick to the plan! “I’m going to the store for milk.” How often have we said THAT and come home with $50.00 worth of groceries? Sales are tempting. Do your best not to rationalize expenditures not on your list.

Update your spreadsheet as you shop to keep in mind how much you’re spending. Update your file when you get home so you have an accurate record for next year.

Keep receipts together. Create a receipt container for each child and put all his or her receipts in that container. You can use a mesh or leather pouch, coupon holder, envelope or even a plastic baggie. Containing your receipts will make returns a snap.

Carry a notebook and have an extra pen or two in your purse. Make note of—

Additional items you forgot in your initial plan.

Items you may wish to consider for gift-giving opportunities.

Step 3: Put Away

The final step of your school shopping extravaganza is to get everything put away. Take everything out of bags and boxes and get them into drawers and closets so you won’t forget what you have. You can also separate bulk items into what you will use right away and what you will store for future use.

Best wishes for a great school year, and happy organizing!

Kelly, Spaces Limited Organizing