The Ultimate Back-to-School Survival Guide for Parents

Updated by Heather Lefebvre

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, that’s right, it’s.... back to school. Yippee! Not having fun yet? Let’s see if we can change that, together. Read on!

Like the holidays, we all know how stressful -- but also joyful -- the start of the school year can be (especially this year). No more scheduling activities to keep your kid busy over the summer? Sweet! Getting your stuff together to make sure your kid has a strong start? Womp womp. It’s a lot to deal with. (When, exactly, is wine o’clock again?)

For all you busy parents out there, we’ve pulled together 5 pieces of advice for feeding, clothing, and otherwise setting your kids up for success in the fall. May you and your kids conquer the classroom!

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Prep It or Regret It

A Monday morning is no time to snooze… or scramble through your closet. Finding just the right outfit to survive the sweltering September weather and meet your kid’s new teachers is no joke!

The solution? Laying out your outfit the night before. This makes sure that you have something ready to go when you’re shuffling around the house in the pre-coffee hours. It also avoids any ironing emergencies and subsequent before-the-bus hassle.

Just don’t let your small child pick out your “flatman” for the next day, like Kristen Bell did , or social media might get the wrong idea.

DIY: Delegate It Yourself

As a parent, you know your job is to raise your kids to become kind, responsible, and thoughtful adults. But it can be so hard to let go! Sometimes, you get so used to managing your family’s day-to-day that you forget that they need to learn independence in order to become responsible.

So let us say it for you: If your child is old enough to go to school, they’re old enough to do things for themselves. Think of stepping back a bit as self-care – and smart parenting, to boot!

Find all our picks at the Back-to-School Shop !