Getting the 'homework' in place for Back to School

It's hard getting everything shipshape for a brand new school season, but not impossible. Find out how to deal with it from the real heroes - the parents, of course!

It's that time of the year again, folks. The new school season is upon us, and your little ones are probably beside themselves with excitement. And in between the last minute rush to pick up the right school bags, textbooks and uniforms (how do they even grow so fast?), there seem to be a million other things on your to-do list. But take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. We talk to some brave mums and dads who have dealt with the back to school rush in years past, and have time-tested advice for all.

Roshmon Manoli & Santripti Vellody Manoli with daughter Soraaya
Santripti and Roshmon's four-year-old-daughter Soraaya will be joining KG 2 at Raffles World Academy this September, and the parents admit that they are already eagerly anticipating - and anxious - about the new school season. "We are looking forward to getting her back to the daily routine as she misses the regular company of her peers," says Santripti, an Indian national. "But then again, a new school year is a reminder that we are collectively, as a family, getting older."
Having done the drill a year ago, the parents know exactly how to handle the back to school rush. "We're lucky since Soraaya has no trouble sleeping on time or waking up early the next day. It's the breakfast and getting dressed part that takes ages."
Soraaya is an extremely independent girl, Santripti admits - which means she refuses to let her mum dress her or feed her to speed up the process. "From September onwards, all mornings are spent with arguments between an anxious, impatient mother and her strong-minded little girl in our household - mostly over porridge and ponytails!"
So how do the parents deal with the morning madness? "Well, it's not really us, but the little one who needs to get back into the rhythm," explains father Roshomon. ?"We get her used to school-day waking hours about two weeks before school begins, to help her adjust. And we do other things to help her get excited too - we just bought the new uniform sets this week. And it seems to work. She keeps asking us who her new teacher is and what her friends will be like! The excitement is contagious."
Tips for other parents:
"Every parent knows their child best and what will motivate them to get back into the rhythm. Some kids are encouraged by a fresh start, some by the actual new learning experience (although those kids are very rare!) and almost all of them about making new friends. The best way to make things easier would be to get the children excited and give them something to look forward to. Parents who moan and groan about getting back into the routine will certainly find their own children mimicking their sentiments."
 
John & Sunny Landeros with their kids
Sunny and John surely know a thing or two about dealing with the start of the school season. After all, the couple, who hail from Texas, US, have five kids, the eldest being 24, and the youngest just six years old.
"Brittany, our oldest girl, is done with school and is actually a happily married mum herself, so I guess, that's one down," proud mum Sunny tells us, chuckling. "Mackenzie is starting college in Santa Barbara this fall, while my sons Mason and Max are in their sophomore and senior years, respectively. Madden, my youngest kid is entering year 2 at Victory Heights."
With five children in tow, it's easy to imagine the start of every school morning as that of a battlefield - not to mention the fact that Sunny is also a busy entrepreneur, with Sunny's Pop, a gourmet popcorn business to run. "I think I may actually dread school starting more than the kids," she confesses. "I love our movie nights together, and being able to go to the beach or park in the morning."
"The biggest challenge is waking up two teenagers and a 6-year-old from a sleep that is second only to a coma, trying to force-feed them some semblance of a healthy breakfast, all the while trying to find the socks that were supposed to have been laid out with the rest of the uniform the previous night, finding the Dh5 or 10 note that I'd be needing for the day, or any of the other things that I would have forgotten about - again."
Sounds like the true battle cry of the everyday mum. "I am so jealous of the pretty, pulled together moms that get their brood to school on time, managing to not only have them dressed completely, but also - I am sure - with a proper lunch. About two weeks before school ends, I find myself still rushing out the door and probably in my pajamas as well."
Be that as it may, at the end of the day, Sunny ensures she savours each and every second of the kids' schooling years. "As hard as it gets, these years are also some of the best ones!"
Tips for other parents:
"This is something that has been said many times before - as stressful as the back-to-school process can be, enjoy every second you have with your child and take interest in their day. After all, the moments go by faster than you can possibly imagine."
 
 Shaheen & Hamoodi Hrib with daughter Allegra
There's plenty of excitement in the Hrib household as well. Shaheen and Hamoodi's eight-year-old daughter Allegra will be starting third grade at Safa School, this year, and as Shaheen states, Allegra's over the moon at the thought of the school starting once more.
"The school shuffles the classes every single year," explains Shaheen. "But luckily, we actually get to meet the teachers before school starts, and that makes everything less overwhelming. Allegra already knows who her teachers are going to be, as well as some of her classmates. Right now, there's just a lot of excitement going around."
A heightened sense of excitement could easily translate to a whole lot of trouble during the first few days of school. And while Shaheen says that it's not all bad, she does admit that "some days are harder than the others" - something all parents may be able to empathise with. "I guess the biggest challenge is getting Allegra up and ready. When you're on holiday, the kids get used to sleeping late - the entire schedule changes so drastically when you have school starting at 7.15am."
So how does the mom get back into the schedule? "I don't really!" the Indian mum laughs. "But I guess everyone adjusts eventually. It's all about being organised. We start preparing the night before itself. My husband, Hamoodi, is really helpful as well - he helps get her food ready. So it's like there's a task for everyone in the house. When it comes to school, everyone's got their work cut out for them."
Tips for other parents:
"Let your kids get involved in the process as well. For exam-ple, my daughter has her own alarm clock, so she wakes herself up. This doesn't just save time - it teaches them to be more independent as well."

Ian & Mila Baker with daughter Sofia
There's no doubt that the first morning of school is hard for everyone - and it becomes more so if the family just happened to get back from a long holiday and are still in vacation mode!
This is exactly what happens in the case of British national Ian Baker. The business development manager and his wife Mila's 9-year-old daughter Sofia will soon be rejoining Raffles International School this term, and Ian admits that the whole experience can be more than a little overwhelming. "Since we get back to school right after holidays in England, it will be really crazy. We usually only get back just one day before school starts and then there's so much to do - from getting textbooks to uniforms."
The busy parents have to come home only to have to start preparing for the first day of school. "We're usually tired and rather jetlagged so it's really hard not to oversleep and forget all about the alarm! The carousel starts from the very first day, though. There's packing the rucksack with the right books, making a nutritious breakfast and getting Sofia to school in time for her first lesson. It isn't easy."
So how do the parents handle the situation? "The minute we get from vacation, it's like we have to hit the ground running. There's a lot to do, so we go into problem-solving mode and get everything done as fast as we can."
Tips for other parents:
"Take things one step at a time. With the first day of school, there will always be a few small missteps here and there. Just don't let it overwhelm you - the schedule will come naturally to you after a few days."