School Supplies to Make the Transition Easier

School Supplies

By now, you’ve probably battled the crowds (or were smart, unlike me, and ordered online!) and purchased all of your school supplies. However, there are still a few school supplies you probably need.

Going from late nights to early bedtimes, freedom to structure, and not listening to….well, hopefully, listening…is hard on children. It’s not so easy on us parents either. Change can be difficult for everyone.

So, I’ve come up with a list of school supplies to make the transition back easier on the whole family. Especially us moms!

Transitions

What is it about transitions that make them so hard? For me, I get used to a certain routine, and to change it all, I really need time to adjust. Even though we’ve gone through the back-to-school transition a couple of times now, I’m not sure if it will be any easier.

I’ve been really lenient with the boys lately and letting them have a lot of freedom. There have been quite a few pajama days and a little too much Llama Llama on the TV. There have been late night walks, BBQ’s with the neighbors, and Beyblade battles in the living room. I wish I could say there have been late, lazy mornings, but that’s not happening. No matter how late to bed, it’s always an early morning around here.

So, since school starts in a few short days, we have to start getting back into the routine of an early bedtime, a productive morning, and an active after-school schedule. Mr. B is starting soccer again this Fall, and he also is in Scouts. I will be teaching dance, and my husband still has to work all hours, since he’s in real estate.

Again, we’re going to let the twins adjust to school before adding in any additional activities. So, that means keeping them occupied during drop-offs/pick-ups and all the time in between.

So, here are some ideas and school supplies to help you get some more sleep, get you out of the house on time, and keep your sanity intact.

*This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. If you click-through any of the pictures, you will be taken to the item on Amazon. There is no additional cost to you, and I may recieve a small commission. I also was gifted 2 of the products in the post in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. For more information, please read my full disclosure policy HERE

To Help You Sleep

Sleep is probably the most important part of a transition. If you and your child are well-rested, everything else is so much easier.

For the past couple years, the twin have been falling asleep to music. However, when the CD ends, they get out of bed and start it over again. Not only does it disrupt their sleep, but we have very thin walls, and it interrupts ours, as well.

That is where the white noise machine by AuCuTee comes into play. It’s continuous, it’s not annoying (like that darn CD!) and it subtle enough to not wake the rest of the house.

There are 20 different sounds or songs to choose from. Plus, you can either have it play continuously, or you can set the timer for 30 minutes, 60 minutes, etc.

We’re making the switch tonight, so I’ll let you know how it works. If the twins don’t like it, I’m taking it for our room! Get your own by clicking HERE or through this picture with my Amazon Affiliate link:

Now that we have sound covered, let’s talk lights. In particular, night lights.

I actually found these night lights at Costco and bought them for my husband. Not only do they work as color changing night lights, but they are also flashlights that work in case of an emergency. You pull them out of the plug, and the flashlight is on the end.

Since there is not a flashlight to be found in our house, these are perfect for an emergency.

Now, back to the sleep solution…

The twins love to have the hallway light on. I do not. It shines right into our bedroom, so then I have to close the door. I then get super hot because we only have one vent in our room. So, I have to open the door. Then I can’t sleep because of the light. See the problem?

So, we’re working on using one of these in the twins room.

It has a switch to stay on continuously, or it can be motion activated. Plus, it changes colors, which the twins love.

Something that makes our house safer and allows me to sleep better? Yes, please.

To Get Out the Door

Even though the kids get up early around here, the bus still seems to come before we are ready.

So, I like to get outfits set out the night before, lunches/snacks packed, and everything in the backpacks. No scrambling for overdue library books, no crying over the wrong shirt or pants, and no big debates on what’s for lunch.

For clothing, this is amazing. You can plan the entire week. The twins can share, since they also share a room and their clothes are still pretty small. Mr. B gets his own.

Luckily, none of the boys really care what they wear yet, so it’s all me….and I like it.

Next, for the lunches and snacks:

Bento boxes are awesome. The kids love all the separate compartments, and they keep everything cold or hot with a built in thermos.

I make sure to pack lunches or decide if they want hot lunch the night before. I usually let the kids pick hot lunch once a week because it gets expensive, and I can’t be sure if they are eating it all. Mr. B always buys milk with his lunch.

Lastly, for the backpacks:

I have a hook for each backpack, and a cubby for each kid. That way all their home work and library books are in the cubby, with backpacks below. They get packed and hung the night before.

Then, it’s off to catch the bus….hopefully (read this POST)

To Keep You Sane

While a good night’s sleep and a few child free hours are a great start, all of that progress can go right out the window as soon as your kids jump off the bus and exclaim the dreaded “I’m bored”

So, since we’ll be in the car driving Mr. B to soccer or scouts, I need some boredom busters.

These travel trays are awesome. Not only do they keep my new car clean, by holding the drinks and snacks, but they provide a great surface for coloring. The twins also like to drive their trains and cars on them.

 

The twins are really on a coloring kick lately, and while we use crayons in the car, we like to use lots of different materials at home.

Kwik Stix sent me a package, and they are so much fun. They work like watercolor paints, without the mess. Since they are nice and big, the twins have no problem holding them.

They each had their favorite colors, so no fighting!

I actually found it pretty relaxing myself. So, I might be stealing these too.

Click this picture below to purchase through my Amazon Affiliate link.

Finally, how can a mom stay sane without coffee in the morning….

 

a drink in the afternoon (I’m talking about ice tea, of course!)

…and wine at night!

I love the Yeti that I have, but I’m going to add these last 2 to my collection.

Cold drinks stay cold, without the ice melting. I’ve also used mine for coffee, and I’m happy that the coffee taste washes right out…in the dishwasher.

 

I hope some of these suggestions will help you and your family as you head back-to-school this Fall!

What things help you transition?