10 Back to School Tips for Parents

This post was sponsored by Kroger. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

10 Back to School Tips for Parents

Back to school can be one of the busiest times of the year.  So here are some tips from my years of mom-experience and my bag of tricks to help you and your family successfully navigate the back to school season.

One of the very best tips I can share with you is pretty simple.  Be efficient. There is one place that makes gathering all your needed school supplies, clothes, shoes and lunch box necessities easy.  It’s Fred Meyer.  The shopping experience always starts off right with a friendly greeting as you walk in the door! The one-stop shopping is a lifesaver!  

Did you know that Fred Meyer is dedicated to helping schools in your very own community? The ”Support Your School” program is a legacy program for Fred Meyer. Your school district earns $1 from Fred Meyer and $1 from each participating brand when you buy Back To School clothes and shoes at Fred Meyer.  Wow!  Our schools can really use this!  What about yours?

And did you know you can support your favorite nonprofit all year long just by shopping at Fred Meyer with your Rewards Card? They donate $2.6 million each year – up to $650,000 each quarter – to the local schools, community organizations and nonprofits of your choice. All you have to do is link your Rewards Card and scan it every time you shop at Fred Meyer.

Here are my 10 best back to school tips that make life easier!

Back to School Tips

1.)  On the first day, say a quick goodbye and make a clean getaway. 

You can do this!! No need to linger and create unnecessary anxiety for your child.  Their teacher will have things well at hand and actually prefers it this way.  Plus, you’re creating a confident child who knows she can do anything!

2.)  Know Where to Shop for the Best Clothes and School Supplies.

From the best clothes and backpacks, to your school supplies and lunch kits, Fred Meyer has everything you need! With hot digital deals, weekend sales and low pricing making school shopping more affordable than ever, customers can also shop Fred Meyer knowing that their dollars are going to a good cause with the “Support Your Schools” program! 

One of the brands my kids love and can’t start the school year without is Vans.  My son and daughter love their casual, cool style that goes with just about everything.  Fred Meyers has a super cool selection that can’t be beat!

From the school playground to the court to shoot hoops, Vans has the style and comfort every kid craves. You seriously can’t go wrong with these!

3.)  Become the Lunchbox Master.

Here’s the biggest tip – make lunches the night before.  And better yet, have your kids help out! 

It’s also important to establish rules for where you kids should put lunch boxes, etc. when they come home.  This keeps things organized for the next day!

Use lunch box notes to brighten your child’s day.  Here are a few free printable lunch box notes that you can print out to be ready for that first week!

Here are several lunch ideas for kids will love that don’t involve a sandwich! 

4.) Hydrate with Ice Cold Water Bottles.

This is so simple, yet so brilliant! Just fill a water bottle half full and freeze it at night.  Before school, take it out and fill the empty space in the water bottle with water.  Now you have cool and refreshing water for the day! 

5.)  Put Your Instant Pot To Good Use.

Fall is one of the busiest times and getting a tasty nutritious meal on the table is easy with your Instant Pot. My family loves this Instant Pot Mac & Cheese – and it cooks in 4 minutes!!

Pressure cooking has so many advantages including saving time & energy and preserving nutrients.  Not only can you brown meat and cook rice, but you can hard boil eggs, make homemade yogurt and much more! As an added bonus, it automatically keeps food warm for hours – just in case you need to run out and chauffeur kids around!

Fred Meyer carries several varieties.  Which one will you choose?

Here are some other tasty Instant Pot recipes our family loves:

Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken -this recipe is perfect to use in salads, tacos, enchiladas, or wraps!

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef – tender flank steak with a restaurant quality sweet and savory sauce. 

Instant Pot Orange Chicken – better than take-out Chinese food and healthier too.  Plus, it’s ready in less than 30 minutes. 

6.)  Stock up on Supplies.

Before you head out to purchase new supplies, inventory last year’s school supplies.  Once you have your list, head to Fred Meyer and get everything you need to start the year right! Tip – Aways grab more glue sticks than you think you need!

7.)  Pick Outfits Out the Night Before.

It’s best to inventory your kids’ wardrobes and toss/donate things they’ve outgrown before the start of school.  Once you’ve picked their favorite outfit and shoes (Van’s for my kids), lay it out the night before school and they’ll be ready to head out the door in no time.

Keep this routine up throughout the year and mornings will be a breeze. 

8.)  Keep a Visible Family Schedule.

Life is busy.  To keep the family on track, keep a visible family schedule so everyone knows what’s going on and when.  Plus, you can plan ahead for the week or month with ease. 

Here are some other Back to School Organizing Tips!

9.)  Snapshot School Schedule and Locker Combo.

For your older kids, this is a lifesaver!  Have them take a picture from their phone of their school schedule and locker combo and make it their lock screen.  This will become invaluable the first week of school and ease their nerves.  

10.)  Capture​ ​It​ ​All​ ​As​ ​it​ ​Flies​ ​By!

Here’s one of the best back to school tips! Carry that camera or smartphone with you at all times!  Capture those little moments and milestones as it goes by so quickly!  Every mom says it, but it’s true!  

With each passing year, I love looking back at the memories and seeing how each of my kids has grown.  I cherish every stage of life and the small moments that comprise them – especially the excitement fall and a new school year brings. 

There you have it!  Set yourself up for success this year with these 10 Best Back to School Tips!

You May Also Like These Helpful Back to School Resources:

The ULTIMATE Guide to Back to School

How to Keep Kids Healthy

Why My Kids Pack Their Own Lunches

31 Lunch Ideas for Kids (non sandwich)

Back to School Organizing Tips