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5 Things Worth Adding to Your Back to School Checklist

As summer starts winding down, it’s time to think about getting your kids ready to head back to school. Whether you have little ones in elementary school or teens in high school, you need a checklist that includes the top to-do items. Prep for the new school year with five simple things you can do before it starts.

1. Do an Inventory

Doing an inventory is an easy way to see what your kids already have and what they need. While they can rely on some of the supplies they have left over from last year, you may need some other items as they age. Kids in upper grades often need a special calculator like a graphing or scientific model. Don’t forget to check out their lunchboxes and backpacks, too. Both can get a lot of wear and tear from one year to the next.

2. Go Shopping

Consider calling the school before you hit the store for new supplies. Most schools provide parents with a list of things they need based on their children’s grade levels. On top of school supplies, you often need to buy some items for their classroom like boxes of tissues, cleaning wipes, or bottles of hand sanitizer. Let your kids have fun picking out new pencils, notebooks, and anything else they need for the year.

3. Visit the Doctor

Depending on the age of your children, the school might require a note from the doctor that states the kids are in good physical health. Your doctor can also write notes if your child has an allergy that can affect them or if they have any other medical conditions. Some schools ask for a copy of your child’s most recent physical exam. All 50 states also require that the school have a copy of your child’s vaccination record. Kids need the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, among others, to attend school.

4. Prepare for Lunch

Before school starts, decide how you want your kids to get their lunches. The school has a cafeteria where kids can grab hot and cold foods from the lunch line. Some will allow parents to put money in their child’s accounts and deduct the funds when they eat in the cafeteria. Making lunches at home helps you save money, but you need to ensure you have the right ingredients on hand and a lunchbox to carry the meals in.

5. Get Your Kids Ready

Getting your kids ready for their school schedules is another thing worth adding to your back-to-school checklist. They need to know that they won’t have as much freedom as they did in the summer. You may want to help them adjust to a more regular sleep schedule in the weeks leading up to their first day back and create a schedule of activities to keep them busy during standard school hours. It’s also helpful to talk with them about who to contact or visit when they have any problems after school starts. Help your kids get ready for heading back to school by adding these tasks to your checklist. Don’t forget to visit a Quick Quack brushless car wash so that your car can stand out when you drop them off and pick them up.