Tips for Starting the School Year on the Right Foot

The start of a new school year is both exciting and nerve-wracking. It’s a big change to your family’s daily life after the summer, especially if one or more of your kids are starting at different schools than they were last year (or even starting school for the first time). Tried and True Nannies and Sitters is on a mission to make life easier for families, so whether or not you have a nanny, these tips can make this year your smoothest back-to-school season yet.

Maintain a Routine as Consistently as Possible

This is a common piece of advice, but trust us, it makes a huge difference! Try to create a routine that includes:

• A bedtime routine that your kids follow at the same time each night

• A morning routine that begins with the same wake-up time each morning

• An afternoon/evening routine for when homework should be done

You might build in some techniques to make your days easier too, like a rule that your kids need to have their backpacks packed and by the door before they go to bed. Keep in mind that setting a routine like this sometimes needs some trial and error, so feel free to make adjustments if something isn’t working.

Establish Open Communication with Your Kids’ Teachers

Having a good relationship with your child’s teacher is one of the best things you can do to make the school year better. If you haven’t already met your kids’ teachers, it’s a good idea to reach out and make a simple introduction. If the teacher has reached out to you as an introduction, a simple response goes a long way by sending the message that you’re engaged in your child’s education and see the teacher as a partner. Establishing communication now will make it far easier for both you and the teacher to address any issues that might come up.

Use Safety Strategies for School Drop-Offs

It’s important to be careful about who can and cannot pick up your kids from school. Some schools have more rules and policies around this than others, but if you have a nanny who picks up your kids, be sure that the school knows that this person has your permission to pick up your kids.

A code word can be helpful too. Talk to your kids and agree on a family “code word” – if there’s an emergency and the kids need to be picked up by someone they don’t know, that person must be able to say the code word. This way, your kids know that you sent the person and that they can go with them safely.

Make Time to Keep in Touch About School

Your days and nights are busy, especially during the school year, but it’s important to set aside time to check in with your kids. As part of your daily or weekly routine, make time to connect about what’s going on at school – what your kids are studying, what’s going on with their friends and classmates, and so on. When there’s time set aside to chat honestly, they’ll be more likely to confide in you if something is bothering them.

Set Up a Family Calendar

During the school year, many families’ schedules are packed with different obligations: sports practices, club meetings, play dates, doctor appointments, and so on. It’s tough to keep everyone on the same page, so consider setting up a family calendar, like a shared calendar on your phones or a calendar on the wall at home. This calendar can include everyone’s appointments and obligations for the day so everyone knows who needs to be where and when.

Be Clear About Family Expectations

If you have a nanny, now is a good time to sit down with them and talk about your expectations of them for the school year, especially if they started working for you over the summer. Should they be picking up your kids from school? Taking them to and/or from practices? Helping them with their homework? Make sure you and your nanny are on the same page.

Starting the School Year Right with Tried and True Nannies and Sitters

The tips above can help you start this school year more organized and more in touch with your kids and their teachers. If you could benefit from a helping hand at home, contact Tried and True Nannies and Sitters about our Nashville nanny placement services as well as our placement services for household managers and more. In the meantime, from all of us at Tried and True Nannies and Sitters, we hope you have a wonderful school year!