Getting ready for back to school can be anxiety inducing…do we have a knapsack, uniform, clothes, binders, papers, pencils, pens, eraser, schedules? What about bus passes? How about those moving into dormitories in universities and colleges? I guess the only thing that would help is being organized.
There are really only 3 things to do to get ready. OK those 3 things are main categories and you probably have a bunch of things to do under each..
- Plan and reset your schedule
- Well I have to see if I can convince my teenager to hit the hay before 1 a.m. starting this week. The good news is that he has been working part time with his dad and has been waking up for work at 5 a.m. So getting up at 7 a.m. will feel like a holiday!?
- I have a calendar ready to mark off important dates once he gets his timetable
- He knows where he has to be and how long it takes to get there -This is easy for us as there is no change to schools.. This will become important next year when my son decides what he wants to do after highschool. I have to make sure his bus pass is loaded with cash. I have a funny feeling because I am not working, he will want me to drop him off on Day 1.
- Organize Supplies and Workplace
- Stock up on supplies for example I bought some pencils, paper…minimal stuff. The boy said he didn’t need binders or anything else. Sure? I think I will be going to the store again!? Usually the teachers provide hand outs the first day detailing what they would like the student to have…so I tend to shop after school starts.
- His study area is in our den & the family computer is already set up with printer, printer paper etc. It is quiet..the only risk is that computer has his “computer games”. My son is pretty good at getting stuff done but he does like to relax with computer games..so I may have to make sure he isn’t playing games longer than necessary during school.
- Clothing-He has a uniform so he has what he needs. Once school starts I will see if we need to buy any other new items… Uniform clothes are generally not cheap.
- Knapsack. I offered a brand new Swiss Gear knapsack but apparently it wears out his sweatshirts? Really? I felt like saying use a plastic shopping bag.. OK. Well he can use whatever he likes…
- Back to School Mindset
- Once my son gets his school schedule and meets his teachers, he will quickly get into a pattern..it will take some adjustment
- Usually once my son’s football starts, he is on a strict homework and training schedule set by his coaches… He loves football and they train regularly. All I know is I have to prepare to write out some cheques…all I see is fees fees fees
Basically it just takes a bit of organization and laying out clothes and making lunches the night before. So hopefully the first week of school sets the stage for an awesome year. Best of luck to all you parents! It is the most wonderful time of year…kids out of our hair!!
Thinking about what I have to do or get done, no matter what it is for, makes me anxious. I usually need to get it done right away for my anxiousness to subside. I swear it is a sickness…. I do have times when my emotions feel all over the place but I swear it’s from being forced into menopause…plus just coming to terms with what I have had to deal with over the past year…
Well, I rec’d my first package from the BWEL (Breast Cancer Weight Loss) Study. It was basically reading material. I received a booklet called Facing Forward, Life After Cancer Treatment. It is a fairly easy read and there is a whole section about feelings and emotions. Basically it says just as cancer treatment affects your physical health, it can affect the way you feel, think, and do the things you like to do… Makes sense and resonated with me. Apparently it’s normal to have many different feelings after treatment. Thank goodness I am normal! There are a few pages about support groups…I already feel ahead of it when it comes to support. I already have a great support network within my family and outside of it… I really look forward to the monthly cancer support group meetings.. They cancelled the meeting in August for summer vacations and the next one is coming up soon in September. Really can’t wait to talk to the group. I actually offered to take a lady to next months as she is undergoing treatment and seemed really stressed. She is eager to go..so I am glad I could help.
What I found interesting is that it said when treatment ends, families are often not prepared for the fact that recovery takes time. It said some survivors face problems with their family. For instance, if you used to take care of the house or yard before treatment, you may find it too difficult to do but family members who took over may want life to go back to normal and expect you to do what you use to do. Well, fortunately I have been able to do everything I use to…and actually challenge myself to do different things. That said, I find I want to limit my stress and only spend time on things that truly matter. Plus if I am tired, I just rest and whenever I can’t do something I usually just ask for help. No family issues on this front.
Anyway, I can’t wait til next week because I start my course on Mindfulness Stress Reduction. Cheers to those going “Back to School!” Enjoy the Labor Day weekend coming up!!
