b.school ready, with b.box
Jul 28, 2021
Oh, summer holidays! Sleep-ins, road trips, bike rides, movie nights and more… it’s a special time of the year where routines are pushed aside, and special memories are made. Whether you feel ready or not, the time has come to start thinking about the new school year and the transition back to early mornings and busy schedules.
If the mere mention has you feeling panicked… don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! With some basic planning and organisation, you can free your mind from the stress of back-to-school season. We’ll help you, and your precious little ones, start the new school year feeling prepared and positive.
Now, let’s get into it…
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Sort through school uniforms and other clothing and footwear to ensure any summer growth spurts are accommodated for. Donate any unwanted items to friends, your school’s second-hand uniform shop or for anything without logo’s, the local op shop.
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Make a list of school supplies needed for the new school year. Consider items you might need at home and for extra-curricular activities too – after all, you can never have too many glue sticks! And that way you can avoid multiple shopping trips. Or take your shopping online and leave even more time for backyard cricket! Check out b.box back to school essentials here.
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Ensure school backpacks are empty and clean. Nothing worse than starting the first day with last year’s ham & cheese still floating around! Label all school items, with a permanent marker or good quality stick-ons. Perhaps both, just to be sure! Then pack bags with any kiddie essentials, like spare clothes, a hat, tissues, sunscreen and sanitiser so they are good to go for the first day.
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Get prepared for nutritious lunches, with the b.box lunchbox range. Perfect for hungry little learners with an easy open latch, multiple compartments for lots of variety and a gel cooler pack to keep food fresh throughout the day. What’s more they come stretchy seals and customisable dividers, to accommodate food of different shapes and sizes. Even whole apples and bananas are welcome! Weekly prep more your style? b.box lunchboxes are freezer safe so grab a few and pack ahead for less-stress mornings.
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If hot food like pasta or noodles is more your little one’s thing, a b.box insulated food jar will keep lunch warm until the bell sounds and comes complete with a tuck-away spork. It can also be used to keep foods cool – like cucumber (get it, cool as a cucumber…badum tish!) or yoghurt. For picky eaters, the variety of cold and hot lunches might be encouraging. Pair it with a b.box mini lunchbox to provide a variety of healthy wholefoods for recess and lunch.
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Keep active kids hydrated with a suitable drink bottle. This back to school, we’ve got the little kids and the big kids covered with our 450ml and new 600ml bottle sizes. The b.box sport spout is free-flowing for big thirsts and is easy for little hands to grasp, while the b.box drink bottle has an angled staw so kids can drink til the very last drop.
If you like to keep things on the chill side, the b.box insulated drink bottle is double-walled stainless steel so liquids stay cool for the whole school day. Kids can sip away with ease using the push button opening and silicone straw. And parents can make sure it is kept up to standard with the b.box bottle brush and when needed, replacement straws.
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Stock up on healthy snacks. And the more colourful, the better….. berries, fresh tomatoes, mango, capsicums, cucumbers.
You can get the kids involved in preparing lunch-box snacks and treats that can be served up fresh or frozen until needed. It’s a great way to spend some time together and encourages the preparation of good, healthy food at home.
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Get tech ready. Sync family calendars, download school and club apps, update forgotten passwords and new year level or class information so that you can receive and respond to notices and reminders from the get-go.
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Get back into routine. If your cheeky little monkeys have been pushing the limit on bedtimes over the holidays, gradually work back to a time that you expect once school starts. You want to ensure that little ones are well rested and ready to tackle busy school days.
It’s probably a good idea to start setting wake-up alarms too, so that early mornings aren’t a shock to the system… for your kiddies or for you!
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Get back into routine. If your cheeky little monkeys have been pushing the limit on bedtimes over the holidays, gradually work back to a time that you expect once school starts. You want to ensure that little ones are well rested and ready to tackle busy school days.
It’s probably a good idea to start setting wake-up alarms too, so that early mornings aren’t a shock to the system… for your kiddies or for you!
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Make a morning tasks chart. By creating a chart, kids can follow basic steps and stay on track during morning routine; include things like get dressed, eat breakfast, pack lunchbox and drink bottle into the b.box lunchbag, brush teeth and so on. Simply point little dawdlers in the direction of their task chart to get back on track!
The main thing to remember is to keep it fun! Going back to school shouldn’t be downbeat.
Get the kids involved along the way from budgeting for spending on new school gear, to preparing and sampling healthy snacks and getting crafty with task charts. Not only are these great ways to keep kids entertained during the holidays but at the same time, help to build enthusiasm and readiness for a new school year.
And best of all, it means getting to spend more quality time with your cutie pies. Go ahead and get into it. You’ve got this!
Marie Sarantos
A happy (mostly!) mama of three. Spends her days searching for the perfect balance between being a full-time mama, part-time b.box wordsmith and dedicated coffee consumer. Understands how hectic work and life can be and uses this mantra to live simply: The plan is, there is no plan, just stay as informed as you possibly can. Make choices to suit your family and you. And never apologise for seeing it through. Also, affectionately known as Mama Marie for her random acts of nerdy mumsiness and life mantras!