Lesson plans done. Check!

Schoolbooks organized and tucked neatly on the shelf. Check!

Pencils sharpened. Check!

Meals planned. Check!

Laundry caught up. Check!

The conditions are PERFECT for back to (home) school! In my mind I see your total look of despair and eye rolling. That’s ok! Looking back on fifteen years of homeschooling, this never described my home or life!

Guess what? It is OK! Homeschooling happens when life and home aren’t perfect. And part of kicking off the school year right, mom and dad, is for you to give yourself grace. The house won’t be perfect. The laundry may not get done. The pencils break. The books get misplaced. It is called real life, and it is OK!

Now that you have taken a deep breath and are choosing to give yourself grace, look at those adorable (and probably dirty) little faces that are eager to learn. Or are they looking at you with sadness, apprehension, and maybe just a touch of defiance? Truthfully, some children are eager to learn while others, not so much. Starting the school year off right requires grace. Grace for ourselves and grace for our children.

So. Now What? If you are like me, I get frustrated with the touchy feely “this-is-what-I-need-to-do-to-be-successful.” I am a “rubber-meets-the-road” kind of personality. In other words, I want you to tell me exactly HOW to kick the school year off right. Sure, I can hide the laundry basket, order pizza for dinner, and even put all the schoolbooks in a basket. But is it enough? It could be, depending on your family. For us, my children needed more “WOW” to start of the school year.

Here are a few practical ideas that I used over the years, hopefully, one will help your family start the school year well.

Field trips. While most take field trips periodically throughout the year and often it is related to history and science studies. How about taking a trip just for fun-that doesn’t have to be expensive? What do your children enjoy doing? Spend a day at a park or wildlife park. Pack a lunch. Relax and enjoy the day together. Any activity that is enjoyed can become a “Start-the-School-year-right” field trip. Fishing trips, swimming pools, or even roller coasters and theme parks can be a wonderful start to your year!

Food. Plan a special meal. Try our ordering pizza idea. If that is a treat for your family, then maybe celebrate the end of your first day with a pizza party! Or make homemade pizza with your children. You don’t have to be an Italian chef to create a fabulous pizza masterpiece. My children used to love making individual pizzas. Once I prepared all the toppings, they would add the toppings they wanted. I would allow them to use as much or as little as they wanted (I had one child who didn’t like pizza sauce, so created a meat and cheese “pizza”). While using pizza crust (homemade or purchased) is always an option, be creative. English muffins, tortillas, flat bread, and even a gluten free rice pizza crust are all healthy options for a perfectly sized children’s pizza! Or how about celebrating with a special treat at the end of your first week. This can be any family favorite recipe, or check out Healthy Food For Celebrations to get fresh ideas!

First Day Survival (SUCCESS!) Kit. Maybe this should have been first on the list, but I think it is important to end with the beginning in mind! If your children have previously been in school, or you can remember back to your first day at school, what helped you anticipate that first day? For many of us, it was new backpacks or pencils and the like. Just because we homeschool, doesn’t mean we give up that thrill of anticipation and new. Looking for affordable back packs in fun colors? Check out the Bazic Basic and Active Backpacks. Special pens and pencils can also add excitement and flair to your back-to-school plans. Smencils are regular size, graphite pencils in a variety of fun scents! Prefer to write in pen? Pilot® is sure to have an Acroball pen in a color to fit your child’s personality! Have a LEGO® fanatic? Check out our section of LEGO School Supplies! Don’t be afraid to consider some non-traditional back-to-school resources. Do you have a child who loves to tap his/her pen or fidget in the chair? Tangle Jr.’s are a fabulous way to channel excess energy, as they twist and flex the palm sized puzzle. Probably my favorite, new fidget toy is the new DImpl Toy. Have you seen these? They are like quiet bubble wrap made of silicone! Pop it in. Pop it out. Over and over again…it is unpoppable! A fabulous, mindless fidget to channel restlessness. For the parent who wants to achieve super status, head back to school using your imagination! Astronauts, Firefighters, Princesses and Knights all need to learn! Surprise your children with a quality dress-up costume and watch their back-to-school excitement grow!

With just a little planning and a whole lot of grace, you can have a great start to your school year!  Celebrate back to school in the way that fits your family. And always remember, if you hit that roadblock, reach out to our consultants FREE of charge at Rainbow Resource Center. We are here for YOU!

~ Deanne