5 Important Things Maine Parents Should Do For ‘Back-to-School’ Season

You're not alone if the fact that school starts in the next two weeks here in Maine is an idea that gives you heartburn and anxiety!

It always seems like this season comes at us way too quickly and catches all of us off guard.

As a parent of 4 school-aged kids, I know all too well the insanity that awaits in the coming days.

The school shopping trips, medical forms, information emails, etc. It's a lot on your mind and on your wallet. (I can't even imagine being a teacher and having to be on the other end of all this prep!)

While it goes without saying that you'll be gathering the school clothes and notebooks/supplies to equip them for success this fall, there are some key things you may have overlooked as we grow closer to that first day of school, which, if you plan for them now, will have you better off in the long run.

Here are 5 important things to take care of now that will help make those first couple of weeks of school less of a panic for you.

1.) Have the "Safety" Talk with your kids

Whether this is your child's first year in school or their last, each stage of their schooling brings with it different goals, different challenges, and different risks.

For younger students, knowing basic information like their parents' names, phone numbers, and their home address is important. Going through daily plans for pick up and drop off, or where to catch the bus, or how to cross the street, is always a good idea.

As they get older, having those serious conversations about bullying, peer pressure, online safety, and phone/texting etiquette is crucial to keeping kids safe in the coming year, as they have more and more exposure to technology.

Speaking with your kids before the school year starts helps them to navigate that back-to-school transition a little easier and sets healthy expectations.

Read More: Safety Tips To Remember As Maine Kids Start The New School Year

If they're of driving age, talk with your kids about how to stay safe on the roads, both as a driver and a passenger.

Don't forget to chat with kids about bus safety and how to behave on a bus so that everyone gets to and from their destinations without incident or distraction.

Read More: Key Bus Safety Tips For Students And Drivers This School Year

In this day and age, talking to your kids about substance abuse is something that should be done early and often. Unfortunately, the potential for exposure is out there, regardless of how hard the adults in their lives try to limit that.

Read More: Parents Should Familiarize Themselves with These 20 Illegal Drugs

A conversation about how to identify certain drugs, what they do, what symptoms a kid might experience if they ingest said substance, and what to do if they have knowingly or accidentally taken something could be the key to how well they survive a situation like that.

2.) Schedule Sports Physicals Now

If your child plans to play a sport, the school will be asking for the sports physical forms. If you can't get to see your PCP in the near future, most of the area Walk-In or Urgent Care facilities also so Sports Physicals (for a fee).

Print out the form from your school and set that appointment up today, so your kiddo is good to go when the sports season starts.

3.) Dental and Eye Exams Before School Starts Help, Too. 

It's been a few months since your kiddo has had to really use their peepers to study or read at length. Hitting up their eye doc BEFORE they head back to school will give you a little cushion of time if their prescription has changed or they need to order new contacts. Doing that now can make it more likely that they won't have issues with seeing that board at the front of the board, on day 1.

Getting them in for their annual teeth cleaning now, before school starts, also means less of a disruption to their day in the fall, if you don't need to take them out of school for an appointment.

Read More: Key Bus Safety Tips For Students And Drivers This School Year

4.) Stock Up On Snacks, Lunch Stuff, Meds, and Tissues Now

Knowing how hungry my kids are those first few weeks of school, I usually start to stock up on granola bars and healthy snack items weeks before I start packing lunches. (The only issue I find with doing this in advance is finding a place to hide these things so the kids aren't tempted to help themselves to snacks early!)

The same goes for hand sanitizer, tissues, and cold/flu meds. We all know how much fun the second month of school can be, when the kids have all been in close enough proximity to one another to not just swap summer stories but also germs.

Having those important essentials on hand for when they inevitably get sick can save you numerous trips to the pharmacy in the weeks to come.

5.) Book the back-to-school haircuts in advance so they'll have time to grow out 

I don't know about your kids, but mine have spent the summer playing outside, in the dirt and mud, and they're looking a little on the feral side at the moment. Before you get ready to start snapping those First Day of School Pics, only to realize that while their outfits and smiles are banging, their bangs are so long you can't see their faces, it's a great idea to get those heads tidied up.

This also allows for extra time in case they get a cut that's a little too short. You'll have a buffer to have it grow out before School Picture Day creeps up out of nowhere.

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Of course, there will likely be a bunch of other things that will pop up as curveballs at the very beginning of the school year, but this way, you can cross a few things off your mental list and free up some brain space to problem-solve other things as they present themselves.