As the lazy days of summer wind down, and the familiar harbingers of back to school dot the landscape, the transition can be jarring to your home life. Here are some ideas for easing the family back into school mode.

1. Conquer the summer work. While it may take a herculean effort, getting your kids to complete (or in some cases, start!) their summer work will stave off tremendous stress, both for you and them, come the last week of summer.
2. Fill out the forms now. Ditto for all those school and doctor’s forms. Take an hour, gather everything your child will need to return to school, and complete it all now. Place everything in a file folder and tuck it away to be easily handed over on the first day of school.
3. Make a packing list. If you’re sending a child off to college, sit down with him or her and create a detailed list of what they will need, including clothing, dorm décor, medicines, and groceries. This list will save you from the stress of a last-minute scramble, or worse yet, having to mail boxes of stuff after the fact.
4. Discuss and plan for schedules. One of the toughest summer-to-school transitions involves having to set alarms and get back on schedule. The best way to avoid the stress is to plan the schedule in advance. Find out when buses arrive and where, when the kids will need to report for sports or band practice, which days you and your partner or neighbors will cover drop off and pick-up, etc. This way, everyone knows where they’re expected to be, and who will cover which responsibilities.
5. Plan an end-of-summer getaway. Whether you can spare a week, a weekend, or even just a day, take one last chance to gather the family together and do something fun that commemorates summer. 

Putting these strategies into action will help close your summer on a good note, and set your fall up for success.
 
Hope you found these tips helpful. If you need any real estate information, please contact me.