The countdown is on, yet this is my most stress-free back-to-school yet.  My oldest child starts high school (sigh), my middle child continues in elementary school, and my baby starts kindergarten (bigger sigh). Why, when this year is so full of back-to-school milestones, am I so relaxed?! This year, I am getting my kids to help with back to school because it just makes everything easier. Here’s how I did it:

Kid/Parent Information Interview
I had an information interview with my older kids about back-to-school decisions—and I highly recommend having one of your own. We discussed the usual information interview topics like:

1.  “What did you like?” An after-school snack was the first priority, and talking about their day one-on-one after school was the second. They really liked having all my attention to share their news.  

2. “What didn’t work?” Apparently they really disliked the bento lunch boxes I bought for them last year.  Who knew? I thought they were great and organized. However, the big kids said they preferred to go back to the previously used individual (and litterless) lunch containers. This was valuable information I now know and can work with.

Practice kindergarten routine
I am getting my kindergarten child to help with back-to-school by practicing the skills he needs for the classroom like putting his shoes on and off by himself, hanging up his hat, and carrying his own backpack.  We are even practicing kindergarten lunch by using the containers and lunch box he will take to school. This is super helpful for me because it shows me what he can and can’t open and close on his own – and I can switch to other options if I find he’s challenged. It’s like trouble-shooting kindergarten before you get to the classroom.

Set actions/consequences
I am so over the “Can you please take out your lunch box?” pressure I put on myself for my big kids. I would ask, plead, request, remind…and those flippin’ lunch boxes seemed to always stay in the backpacks until the morning when the kids needed lunch made. It stressed me out to wash containers while making breakfast. So last year I got the big kids to help with this stressful task by simply giving them actions and consequences. If they didn’t put their lunch boxes out the night before – they had to make their own lunch the next day. No asking, pleading, requesting, or reminding. The result: I hardly made any school lunches last year. The big kids (to my surprise) were actually capable of washing containers, making a healthy lunch, and packing their own lunch bags. Awesome!

Set up a homework/school supply spot
As an activity, I had the big kids take inventory of all the markers, erasers, notebooks, crayons, scissors, tape, and various school supplies. Then, I had them organize them into a 5-drawer plastic organizer. No reason for me to organize the school supplies when THEY are the ones who need to know where to look for things. This was an activity which kept them busy (and out of my hair!), yet it was a valuable organizational tool for back-to-school.

The almighty cork board
Have a birthday invitation? Put it on the cork board. School field trip form? Put it on the cork board. Karate class schedule? Put it on the cork board. The almighty cork board saves my sanity by being the hub of where important-kid-papers are to be found.

Caroline Fernandez shares family-friendly activities and tips on her site Parent Club (Twitter: @ParentClub). Her first book Boredom Busters (Cico Books, 2014) is now available in stores.