Backpack? Check. Lunchbox? Check. Water bottle? Check. What about pencils and paper? Check.

It's that time of year again when parents must refresh themselves with the delights of packed lunches, school pick-ups, and homework checks. We realize how tough this time can be, so we've put together this informative Back to School Checklist for Parents to make things a little easier. 

1. Get into a routine as soon as possible

This is, without a doubt, the most crucial back-to-school advice for parents. It's crucial to create a stable routine for your child before the first few weeks of school. This should involve establishing a set bedtime and schedule for homework. When deciding on a bedtime, keep in mind that the recommended sleep time for children aged five to fourteen is between nine and eleven hours of sleep per night. When it comes to a designated homework time, we recommend doing it either just after your child gets home from school, because the material is still fresh in their minds, or right after dinner, if you want to give them a little break. 

2. Shop School Supplies 

The earlier you tackle those lists of things to buy, the better. Last-minute shoppers often find shelves cleared of common school supplies. Do your online shopping now, too, in case any returns or exchanges are needed. A school bag with large compartments to fill all the essentials is a must-have. Additionally, you must pack a smart water bottle for school to keep your child hydrated throughout the day. Here is a list of further things to pack in the backpack: 

• Pencils/pens
• Rubber/Eraser
• Notebooks/Copies
• Pencil sharpener
• Glue stick
• Rulers/Scales
• Set of coloring pencils
• Pencil pouch to store all of the above
• Sticky back plastic for covering books

3. Make a Study Area

This back-to-school suggestion should be on every parent's to-do list! Finding a stress-free environment for your child to do his or her homework is critical to their learning. This should ideally be a calm spot in your home with lots of surface space and a central location so that you can assist your child even while cooking dinner. Also, have a stock of supplies your child could require for studying (as indicated in the previous point), as they're certain to misplace a pencil or two at some point during the year! 

4. Mark your Child’s Schedule 

Get out your planners, laptops, phones and head anywhere else you keep a calendar and add in all the important dates: registration, meet-the-teacher days, first day of school, curriculum nights, PTA meetings, and fall registration deadlines for sports, dance or other activities. You're guaranteed a better response when you ask "What games did you play in PE today?" or "What did Ms. Fatima show you in art?" rather than "How was school?" 

5. Prepare for School Syllabus

Make sure your child has made sufficient progress on any summer homework provided by the teacher and check in on summer reading assignments. Even if your kids weren’t assigned anything, it never hurts to brush up on some basic skills as a confidence booster.

In the end, we hope this back to school checklist for parents helps you to prepare your child for school and ready his belongings easily. You can find all the important school bags, water bottles, and pencil pouches here at Bembel.