It is Back to School Time Again
I love this time of year. Every day we are checking our mailbox for letters from teachers and class schedules for the older boys. I’ve begun stocking up on Crayola crayons and Ticonderoga pencils while they are on sale. I’ve been picking up the properly color coded folders and notebooks. (Here in Bismarck all subjects are color coded beginning in elementary school) Purple, for reading, is always the hardest to come by.
Last week I took the three younger boys for haircuts and then had them hunt around the mall for some new clothes. I don’t buy all of our school clothes at once, I’m too much of a bargain shopper for that. Instead, I picked up some jeans and shorts on end of season clearance sales and let the boys choose some new graphic t-shirts. I still have to take the teens shopping, but they are tougher to find things that fit them!
I also have new shoes for four boys on my list! Ouch!
The little boys still have backpacks that will work for this year and Dakotateen does as well, but our eighth grader needs a new pack. At this age, I finally invest in a good, long-term backpack. I like Jansport backpacks. They are long wearing, I had mine all the way through high school and college! (But I wait to buy them for my kids until right before high school, they cost a bit more than I like to spend and I wait until the kids are more responsible.)
I also need to work on getting the boys’ rooms clean ans set up for school again. In order for successful homework time, I think kids need a good place to study. A place set aside for studying alone. However, in summer, it seems that my children’s’ study areas have been overtaken by Lego!
We’ve ramped up our reading time again, not that we ever stop reading, but I watch it less in the summer. (I may or may not be a control freak. . .you decide!)
My kids are blessed. We may not be a wealthy family, but we have what we need. Dakotapastor and I are able to give our children proper school supplies, clothing and a space to learn and grow. However, we also realize that there are children who are much less fortunate than ours.
Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and Disney have partnered to launch the “Tools for Back to School” initiative. One of the features of this initiative is a fun, pop-quiz style game. For every correct answer that you score, school supplies are donated to BGCA.
BGCA has also teamed up with jcpenny. If you shop at jcp during the month of August you will have the opportunity to ’round-up’ your purchase to benefit BGCA.
Do you want to some more back to school tips? Head on over to the Tools For back to School page and click on the Get Ready Tips on the middle left hand side of the page. One of my favorites is this homework tipsheet!
Join me and other moms from Mom Central as we host a Boys and Girls Club Twitter Party on Thursday, August 23 from 3-4 EST! (that is my kids’ first day of school!)
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Boys and Girls Club. I received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.
Back to School tips and tricks. goo.gl/46mfo
#BGCA— Pam Thompson (@Dakotapam) August 10, 2012
So nice to meet you. I was out buying school supplies this afternoon. I must say you are so much organized than me. I had a hard time getting it all together. And we aren’t color coded here. They just wanted clear.
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Yes, each subject has a color, which is nice, except when you have to find green book jackets to fit a large science book etc. I think it will teach the kids a useful organizational system. (and for the record, I’m totally unorganized, but I try really hard.) It is nice to meet you too! I look forward to working with you this fall!
Twitter: dakotapam
It must be the north schools that do color coding because none of the schools my kids go to do it-even subbing in all the schools I don’t notice it. I think it’s a good idea but I don’t think it’s mandatory.
I do most of the things you do to get ready too. The girls and Gerrit have their shoes and I think since Gerrit is starting high school I’m investing in a really nice backpack he can take to college. He’s had his current one since sixth or seventh grade.
I’m a little bummed school is starting so soon!
Yes, highland acres, Horizon and Century all have the same color code. I assumed it was the whole district.
Twitter: dakotapam
Did you know Jansport backpacks are made right here in Wisconsin? We get our from the factory outlet store.
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That is awesome! Summer Shandy and cool backpacks! I should have had you go to the outlet before we went camping!
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Twitter: dakotapam
I hit a stroke of luck this year… We are so glutted with clothes from past sales and friends hand me downs, not to mention shirts from all the activities, that we have no need for anything but shoes and haircuts! Oh ad backpacks….I bought cheapos last year. Maybe I’ll score a couple of those Jansports
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Plus, call jcpenney for free haircuts! I took three of my boys in for free cuts in August and they did a great job! That saved me $45! That is a lot of coffee!
Twitter: dakotapam