This week begins a series of posts about getting ready for school – not just getting up and getting out the door, but getting ready for the whole semester.
Today I was out running a few errands and could barely get through the stores for all of the back to school shoppers and back to school gear.
If your child is in elementary school, they most likely have a list from their teachers of what supplies they will need this year. Sometimes teachers in middle and high school also have a list.
If you have one, you have a place to begin. I’d like to offer some of my own ideas based on my experience with my 3 kids.
First, follow the list. It will not do for your child to show up without the proper supplies, especially if it’s because you have your own ideas of what’s needed. Not having supplies because of economic issues is another matter.
When it comes to things like spiral notebooks, pocket folders, book covers, and pens and pencils, buy more than you think you will need. There’s always a huge back to school sale in August and September, but not in January when the second semester begins. You also have to account for a certain amount of loss on your ADD Student’s part.
Look for a backpack that works. Most women are particular about their purses; the right one is the perfect size and works for you. A backpack is just as important. Some ADD Students do well with one that has lots of pockets for organizing; others need something more simple. Find the right one and save yourself some aggravation down the line.
Buy ONE (OK maybe a spare or two) pocket folder for transporting ALL papers back and forth to school. Popular wisdom says that one for each subject is better because it helps keep things organized.
Hello??? How many subjects does your child have? A high school student can easily have 7. Do you really want your ADD Student to have to keep track of 7 different folders and their contents? Use one. The left side is for papers going home and the right side is for papers to turn in. Load the papers to turn in so that 1st hour’s papers are on top.
Does your ADD Student have a preference for a certain kind of pen? Some do. We ADDers can be ultra sensitive to some things, and some ADDers have poor fine motor skills. If a certain pen or pencil will help, try and find it for them. And buy extra.
Spiral notebooks are better than binders and loose paper. The word “loose” should explain that one. Most spiral notebooks have pages that can ripped off with a clean edge, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
If your school doesn’t provide one, consider a simple planner for your ADD Student. More on that later.
Finally, once you’ve stocked up on school supplies and bought the back to school wardrobe, do two things. First, hide your extra supplies where your child can’t get to them. Make sure you remember where they are.
Second, start stocking up on things like poster boards, markers, glue and construction paper. Report covers too if your kids are older. Hide these as well. This stash will save you from that last minute trip to the open all night store to get the supplies your ADD Student just remembered they needed for a big project due tomorrow.
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When I read this articles headline I just remembering about my first day at school. It was a rainy day. Thanks for sharing this article.