It’s back to school time! That means it’s time for Savvy Aunties to help to organize those school supplies and activities for their nieces and nephews!

My 10-year-old niece Jeanna told me last week that taking two months off for summer vacation was not enough time “to rest my brain.” Poor thing. While the kids may not be ready for back to school, the parents certainly are. A recent commercial for an office supply store featured a cheery and dancing dad picking up school supplies while his two children walked behind in what looked like a dreary funeral march.  I heard adults everywhere laughing.

Talk it up!

Many children have anxiety about returning to school each year. There are new teachers, new books, new things to learn and do. For some children, its overwhelming particularly if this school year marks a big change. I can give you some personal examples. My goddaughter Desiree is starting kindergarten and has to wear a uniform and everything. She can’t wear princess clothes until she gets home from school. Jeanna is starting middle school this year, and she will have a locker and change classes for the first time.  Connor is entering high school, and Erica, my oldest niece who I remember was a teeny, tiny baby, is starting her senior year (gulp!) with most discussions centering around college plans. No pressure there!

Being the Savvy Auntie that you are, ask your nieces and nephews about their feelings on school starting. Tell them how excited and nervous you were back in the day. It reassures them that they’re not alone. If you have a kindergartner this year, you can tell them about what you remember on your first day. 

After their first day of school, check in with them and see how everything went. Most of their fears have evaporated.

School supplies!

Ah, there’s nothing better than new school supplies. Buying new school supplies was one of the highlights of the summer, and who doesn’t love a fresh box of crayons, new pencils and notebooks? If you live close, take your nieces and nephews with you to shop. Most stores have supply lists on hand for their local schools, and some schools mail them out in advance to returning students. If you live away from them like I do, ask them to email their lists to you or send gift cards to the parents or your older students to purchase what they need.

Most schools hand out a day planner now for students, but with cutbacks happening, that may be one item cut from the list. Make sure your students have a paper day planner to record homework assignments, time to work on projects, and project deadlines. Students with ADD may need to highlight different classes in a different color to see what they have to do at a glance.

Because of the back to school alerts regarding the H1N1 virus, include hand sanitizers. Slip one into their backpack, and have another for their desk if they stay in one classroom. Encourage them to use it.

Be Giving!

Sadly, there are too many children who don’t get to experience the excitement of new supplies. So if your nieces and nephews have what they need for school, you can do something for somebody else’s nieces and nephews. Pick out a backpack and fill it with supplies. The YMCA has a program to distribute school supplies and backpacks to needy kids. If there is not a YMCA in your area, contact your local school.

Locker organizers!

Locker organizers are a hot ticket item right now, and it’s easy to buy everything because it’s all so darn cute. Contain yourself for a moment. Ask your niece or nephew:

•    Need to create more space in your locker? Back in my day, we used the ol’ plastic crate to make a shelf. Nowadays, there are sturdy shelves especially made for lockers. The shelves use more of the locker’s valuable real estate.

•    If the locker doesn’t have a hook for coats, buy one of those temporary 3M hooks that can be easily removed. Magnetized hooks may slide with the weight of the coats and jackets.

•    Use a magnetized bin for extra pens and pencils. The bins fasten on the inside of the locker door. If you don’t want to use a bin, hang a small make-up bag or mesh pouch on a hook.

•    Magnetized dry erase boards are a great way to remind themselves of homework and such.

•    Magnets are a great way to show off pictures (the old-fashioned ones that aren’t on a cell phone or digital camera) and notes.

Homework!

Homework happens. Each student needs a quiet area to do homework away from TV, video games, and other distractions. Make sure they have a healthy snack with protein, such as peanutbutter, milk or cheese. With younger students, you will need to go through their backpacks and papers to make sure they’ve completed all their homework and pulled out anything that needs to be signed for the teacher.

Notice if your niece or nephew has any perfectionism tendencies. If you see them becoming upset about their handwriting, an art project, or a report because it’s not good enough, remind them that no one and nothing are perfect and that they only need to do their best effort. Even Harry Potter doesn’t get all of his spells down. Help them nip perfectionism in the bud while they’re young to avoid more serious problems down the road.

Check in frequently with your nieces and nephews about school work and their classes. They will probably tell you sooner than their parents that they are struggling in a class and may need tutoring.

Each school year is a new beginning filled with endless possibilities. Help your nieces and nephews have a great year!