The Posh Blog

Although school is back in session for many students.  I was recently interviewed by KXAN News, Austin’s NBC affiliate, offering tips for what parents could do the night before school starts to make it a stress free morning.  Click here is the link to the article and the video in case you missed it.

Also, the fabulous POSH Space team is working on getting POSH Space on You Tube.  More to come on that soon!  One last thing, did you know you can find us on Facebook?  Visit http://www.facebook.com/poshspace and “like” us.  We will have discussions on organizing, home/work life balance, kids, paper, and more ways to help make your life a little bit easier.  We would love to hear from you!

Have a fantastic day!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

The excitement is building, it’s almost here!  The first day of school!  Here are a few things you can do to get ready the night before school starts.

1. Clothes. Have your child’s clothes laid out the night before school.  This will avoid decision making in the morning. 

2. Lunch. If you are packing a lunch for your child or children get as much done the night before.  Have the lunchbox on the counter and the water bottle or thermos filled up and in the refrigerator.  As for food, have your containers or ziptop baggies on the counter too.  Any non-perishable items can be packed in the lunch box the night before including granola bars, fruit snacks, raisins, chips, even a spoon if you will be packing a yogurt in the morning. 

3. Backpack. Have your student’s backpack ready to go with any school supplies you still need to bring and any forms you need to return to the teacher.  Place the backpack near the door and use this location throughout the school year.  Start the habit now so your child learns to put his or her backpack in the same place.  Start working on the habit of getting everything in the backpack the night before school so homework and forms are always in the backpack before bedtime.

Don’t forget to talk to your children about how they will be getting home on the first day of school as mentioned in Part 5 of this series called Know Your Times.  You may also want to read Part 1 of the Back to School Success Series, Clothes and Part 4 of the series Lunch to get more tips you can use as you prepare this evening. 

Don’t forget to catch Angela on KXAN, Austin’s NBC affiliate tonight at 10 p.m. with a sampling of back to school tips! Here’s the link to the article on KXAN’s site.

Have a great first day!
Angela

Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

Take some time today or over the weekend to relax and enjoy the last bit of summer with your children. 

We all know that time goes by so fast, so take the kids out to eat at your favorite restaurant or go to a nearby water park or theme park.  In Texas, this weekend is “tax free” shopping weekend, which means all the malls and retail shops are extremely busy.  But if you’re savvy you can use that to your advantage.  I had some friends who went to Sea World a few years back on the tax free weekend and they said it was great because there were so few people there. 

Find a way to stop thinking about back to school and spend it doing something fun and special with your kids. 

Enjoy the last few days of summer!
Angela

Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

With all the hustle and bustle of backpacks and folders don’t forget to have a quick chat with your children about what to expect on the first day of school in relation to the schedule.  Here’s a few tips. 

1. School start time. Sounds simple but if you have children going to different schools double check what the start time is at each school.  Many schools also have policies regarding what “being on time” means.  For many it may be that your child is seated in the classroom by the start time, not just in the building. Check with your school or schools to find out their specific policy.
2. Getting home.  Be sure to let the kids know how they are getting home at the end of the day.  This is especially important for kindergarteners or students who are at a new school. Are they riding the bus or is someone picking them up?  Who is picking them up?  Are you walking or driving?  Many schools divide the children into groups based off of how they are being picked up to make this busy part of the day run smoothly.  “Bus riders” go to the bus area.  “Walk-ups” or children whose parents are walking to pick them up go to another section, etc.   Be sure your child knows the plan so there isn’t any confusion on the first day.
3. General school schedule. At your “Meet the Teacher” night you should be able to ask the teacher what the daily schedule will be.  Let your student know what the general schedule will be for the day.  Let them know when lunch time will be in relation to the general daily schedule.  Let them know if they will have free time, study time, quite time, or recess and generally where it falls in the day.  If your child cannot tell time then tell them it’s before lunch or after lunch.  
4. Bathroom policy.  Also try to find out what the bathroom policy is.  Is there a bathroom in the classroom? Do they go to a bathroom at a certain time?  Can they request permission to go to the bathroom?  Again, knowing in advance will help prevent a panicked child and accidents. 

Remember communication is key so you and your child don’t feel stressed or lost on the first day of school. 

Cheers,

Angela

Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

Lunch time is one of the most important parts of your child’s day.  It is the time for refueling and taking a little break from learning to relax.  Here are few important things to consider when preparing for lunch at school.

1. Know the rules: Check your school web-site to see if there are any restrictions on what children can and cannot bring.  For example some schools do not allow candy of any type.  Some schools do not allow peanut butter or peanuts.  Be prepared and check with your child’s school.
 

2. Label: Save time and money by labeling your child’s lunch box and water bottle or thermos.  If you’ve been reading this series you know how I feel about this, if not click here to my read previous blog post Order Back To School Labels Now   for information on where to purchase children’s labels.  Since school will be starting in just a few days you can always use a Sharpie marker to label your student’s lunch items.

3. Lunch money:  Don’t forget to send your child with lunch money if he or she will be buying lunch at school.  You can also check with your schools web-site as many schools allow you to add lunch money online and check your student’s balance. 
4. Save time at lunch: Some schools ask parents to pack their children’s lunch in one container with multiple compartments.  This speeds up the time a child spends opening multiple containers or baggies and allows teachers to quickly help everyone get situated.  Consider a container like the one shown above from The Container Store.  Click here for a link. 

5. Snack time:  Some schools also allow children to bring a drink or snack for the afternoon.  Ask your student’s teacher at Meet the Teacher night or check with your child’s school.  Some teachers only allow children to bring healthy snacks of fruits or vegetables or only allow water and do not allow juice.  Do your homework before you send your child to school and know what they can or cannot bring.

Stay tuned for Part 5 of the Back to School Success Series on Schedule & Communication.

Do you have any lunch time tips or tricks?  I’d love for you to share by posting a comment below.

Here’s to a tasty lunch!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

Many schools have a Meet the Teacher night prior to the first day of school.  If you don’t know if you have a Meet the Teacher night, visit your school’s web-site or call your school today!  This is a great opportunity for you and your child to meet the teacher and to start to learn about what the school year may hold for your student.  Many schools in the Austin area are having Meet the Teacher night this Thursday or Friday. 

1. School supplies.  Many schools encourage you to bring your school supplies on the first day of school.  So gather all your supplies in your child’s backpack or a bag and bring them to Meet the Teacher night.  This will be one less thing you need to think about on the first day of school.  Don’t forget to label supplies see my last post Back to School Success Part 2, School Supplies

2. Bring your list of questions.  Can my child bring a snack or drink for the afternoon?  Are there any food items the kids are not allowed to bring (for example peanuts or peanut butter)?  What is the dress code?

3. Bring a notepad and pen.  Bring a notepad and pen in case you need to write anything down or fill out any forms for the teacher or the school. 

4. Bring your patience.  Gathering so many parents and students at the school in a short period of time can lead to some crowds.  Parking may be limited so you might consider walking if you live near the school.  Because so many people want to talk to the teacher you may have to wait before it’s your turn.  If you have your children with you consider bringing a small game or something to keep them occupied while you are waiting. 

Click here if you missed Part 1 of the Back to School Success series and be sure to come back tomorrow for Part 4!

Good luck!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2010 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.