Summer is winding to a close. In some regions, the temperatures will soon start to drop. School has either begun or soon will and kids are filled with excitement and anxiety. To ease everyone into the transition we have compiled a few things for you to consider and a few to enjoy before the chaos of scheduling practice, tryouts, and studies ensue. Enjoy…
- Thrift Store Challenge for Kids & Teens – summer break is almost over and may be for some already. You may have exhausted your bag of tricks, but still want to keep summer light and fun. Why not introduce a thrift store challenge for your kids and their friends. Armed with $5 and a couple of rules (no running, no grabbing, extra credit for repurposing, etc.) and 15 minutes, challenge them to have fun, stay in budget, and may the best thrifter win. A children’s book to go along with this (best for ages 8-11) is Rich by Nikki Grimes. Our heroine of the story Dyamonde Daniel has a very unique spin on what is trash and what is treasure.
- Blog break – One of our favorite blog writers is Kate Lewis of The Civilized Minute. She’s the Seinfeld of home affairs and balancing life. You’ll immediately relate to her quick wit and charm and likely share a chuckle or two because you both completely get it.
- Sensible shopping – Tired of spending 2 hours of your precious Saturday at the store trying to figure what to eat and who needs what for lunch? Pop this list up on the fridge on Sunday before the week begins and have the family capture the needs as they arise. Also, have them jot down dinner ideas so that you aren’t struggling at the last minute to create meals everyone is willing to eat.
- Hooked on Storage — if you haven’t created a centralized storage area for shoes, bags, coats, then do so NOW with our easy “hooked on storage” approach. Nothing says BTS ready like bags, jackets, shoes, and essentials all in one convenient location — by the door!
- Junk+ion (junktion) — inspired & creative. If you don’t have a shoe caddy (like the one in the aforementioned post) then grab or DIY the one from junk+ion made from reclaimed pallets. By the way, pallets are everywhere once you start looking.
- BTS Celebration! — Celebrate Back to School properly – with a party! We often secretly celebrate the return to school because in those last two weeks before school starts the kids are driving us crazy. The bickering, the heat, the boredom have all reached an all-time high and there’s simply nothing to do about it. But truthfully, we should be celebrating the promise of a new year, the growth in maturity, the knowledge gained, and the friends made. We celebrate the turn of a calendar year with much fanfare, but why not treat your student to the same level of celebration? Some kids dread the beginning of the new school year. Some welcome it. Either way, try celebrating the new adventure. Get noise makers, balloons, and streamers and have a party. Be sure to include a celebration cake (see tomorrow’s post).
