How to Prepare for Back to School and After School Programs
This is not your typical obligatory ‘Back to School’ post, I promise. As part of a a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys & Girls Clubs of America (for which I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating), I am going to talk about preparing for, not only Back to School, but also After School Programs.
As I mentioned last month, I am an ambassador for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and I have lived in a town where BGCA was active and very helpful for the kids in the community. My current town doesn’t have a BGCA program, but we have a similar program for summer camp and after school which my boy will be attending.
It’s that time of year again (less than a week away!) when everyone is talking about Back to School (or as my husband says for us, To School, i.e. Kindergarten) and I’ve pulled together some tips for preparing not only for Back to School, but also for After School Programs!
How to Prepare for Back to School
1. Shop, Shop, Shop – Do your shopping (even if last minute, like me) for school supplies, clothes, backpacks, etc. Buy new shoes and a new lunchbox. These new purchases will get your child excited and not dreading that first day!
Each year, 1 million students fail to graduate high school. This scary statistic, proves it is increasingly important to support today’s youth. This Back-to-School season, BGCA and long-time partner, Disney, have launched an online supply drive. By simply playing a pop-quiz style game, you can help donate school supplies to local BGCA Clubs. For every five correct answers, a donation of supplies will be made!
2. Save, Save, Save – Watch the sales and save money where you can. You know that the first week your child will be bringing home a fundraiser and you’ll need the money!
3. Wait! – Wait to let your child wear/use their new belongings until the first day of school. I can remember when I was young, my mom would take us clothes shopping and we couldn’t wear any of it until school started. This made the first week very exciting. I would line up my outfits for each day and rearrange them from time to time.
4. Party hard! – Plan a Back to School Party for your children and their friends. Make it a blast with water games and slumber party. This is the last big hoorah before they head back to school for a few days and then have a 3 day weekend. 
5. Get excited! – For the stay at home and work at home moms, get excited about the time you are about to spend alone, getting much needed work done around the house, on your blog, (sleep on the couch…shh)… But, seriously, the more excited you are about meeting the new teacher and making new friends, the more excited your children will be.
Find many more (reasonable) tips for Back to School on the BGCA website!
How to Prepare for After School Programs
(for the Work Outside the Home Moms)
1. Do your research – Find out what programs are in your area and scope them out. Research online for licensed facilities and any infractions or praises.
2. Ask around – Ask your friends and family about their experiences with any of the after school programs.
3. Learn the procedure – Find out if the after school program comes to your child’s school or if your child will be transported to the program. Find out if your child will be transported by school bus or if the program bus picks them up. Learn how it all works so you (and your child) can feel at ease.
4. Talk to your child – Tell your child about the program they will be attending. Visit the facility if possible so they are comfortable (just like Meet the Teacher night at school). Talk to your child about how they will arrive there and when you will pick them up.
5. Communicate with your school – Make sure the school (and especially your child’s teacher) knows that s/he will be attending that after school program.
It’s all fun and games when it’s time for Back to School and preparing for After School Programs, but you have to take care of business first. Have fun with it, learn the procedures and timeframes, then talk to your child about it all. Okay, Mommy, it’s going to be alright! (Yeah…that last part was just a reminder to myself )
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