Summer holidays are drawing to a close. Christmas has come and gone and just when we are fooled into thinking that we have a few weeks where we can put our feet up, relax and just enjoy the school holidays, the ever-looming back to school reminders start creeping upon us.
It usually starts with a few subtle product placements at the shops – like a sale on glue sticks or half-price coloured pencils. Then, the catalogues start arriving and before you know it you’re getting a “welcome to my class” introduction email from your child’s new teacher.
If you are anything like I was, this would usually be the point where you head to the shopping centre and tackle your back-to-school shopping list head-on. I don’t let it get that far anymore before I start checking items off my list.
Back To School doesn’t have to be a daunting or stressful experience.
While each school is different and may have different requirements, there are some basic things that children will need.
Here is my back to school list that you may also find useful.
The most important item every year on our Back to School list is new school shoes and sports shoes. On the days I work my little ones can spend up to 10 hours in their shoes, and other children can spend up to 40 hours a week in their school shoes.
This is why it’s good to make sure that their shoes are comfortable, supportive and fit correctly.
We really don’t want them to experience the pain of sore feet and blisters, so by having their feet professionally measured and fitted that can be avoided. This is why I find that Myer is the best place to get fitted for school shoes.
Myer has the Fit Squad in-store who are not only great with kids (and extremely patient), they are experts in children’s footwear with a minimum of 3 months of training to ensure that they are fitting every child in the right shoes.
Myer also has a wide variety of styles, sizes and colours so there is something for everyone.
Stationary supplies
- Personalised name labels for labelling books, lunchboxes and items.
- Pencil case
- Stapler
- Coloured pencils
- Lead pencils
- Coloured markers
- Pens
- Sharpener
- Eraser
- Crayons
- Ruler
- USB flash drive
- Headphones
- Tablet, IPAD, laptop and protective covers.
Apparel
We always head into Myer for shoes as they have a wide variety of not only coloured sports shoes, but also black school shoes, and have in-store fit specialists (The Fit Squad) to help ensure that your child’s foot is correctly measured and the shoes fit correctly.
- School shoes and sports shoes
- Art smock
- Uniform and uniform accessories
- School socks
- Wide brim hat
- Bathing suit
- Goggles and Swimming Cap
Miscellaneous items
- Lightweight foldable umbrella
- Public transport travel card with added credit.
- Prepaid mobile phone or Public Phone Box card.
- Labelled Lunch Box kit and water bottle
After we have finished all of our Back To School shopping, our family have a Safety Talk.
We discuss road safety, safe adults, school boundaries and what to do when we feel unsafe. Although my son tells me he knows all this stuff already, it is always a good idea to do a refresher before they start school again.
When it comes to planning for the year ahead, I record all of the important dates on a large wall calendar. I have found it really helpful seeing all the upcoming events well in advance.
I also make sure that all my emergency contact details are up to date.
If it’s not your child’s first year of school you might want to check with the school what details you have on file. Things like address changes, new jobs, and change of emergency contacts can affect the school being able to contact you. This is why it is always a good idea to check with your school admin team to make sure your current details are in fact current.
Back To School can be a stressful time for parents and especially students.
Talking to your children about any concerns, or worries they have is very important to ensure a smooth transition during those first few weeks.
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This post is in partnership with Myer – Shop Myer
