Enjoy a hassle free start to a new school term

WHILE DUBAI’S CHILDREN make the most of the long summer holiday, their parents are starting to think ahead to the new school term, compiling to do lists and thinking about what the year will bring for their kids.

The team from Back to School, the event designed with fun and education in mind for children aged four to 14, have compiled a list of their top five tips on how to help start the new semester the right way:

1. Plan breakfast:

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is why it is vital your children don’t miss out. By planning and preparing breakfast, especially for the first week back, the mornings will be a lot less stressful. Ask your kids in advance what they enjoy to help prevent any tantrums. Throughout the Back to School exhibition Nestle Health Science will provide nutrition assessments and offer free samples of their healthy smoothies and shakes, while Del Monte and Mondeleze International with their Barni brand, will provide nutritional advice and tips on how to help your children eat healthily.

2. Be on time
First impressions are everything. While the summer routine may not have consisted of early starts and time management – the school term does. It is essential that your children arrive at school on time and are also aware of their time schedule and how important it is to be punctual. To help kids learn about punctuality, Flik Flak, the Swiss watch brand will be showcasing their products. Each child will be able to learn about time management through fun and interactive activities.

3. Practice the school run
The school run can be one of the most stressful times of day because this is when traffic is at its peak. In order to have a stress free journey at the start of term, take your time to practice the route and experience different routes.

Jasim Al Marzouqi, School Transportation Department Manager at Emirates Transport suggests: “If you’re struggling to get your children to school, you can ease some of the pressure by using a transport service. Emirates Transport has a 3,800 school bus fleet which transports 200,000 students from 120,000 collection points across the UAE. Our buses undertake 5,445 return trips per day, travelling to over 690 schools. A transport service is a safe and effective way to ensure your child arrives at school on time”.

4. Lay out the uniform the night before
To ensure your child has more time in the morning, lay out a clean uniform the night before – or encourage them to get into this routine themselves. By doing this, making sure they are dressed properly will be a lot easier without the hassle of having to look for certain items at the last minute.

5. Ensure you have all of the correct stationery
Take your child with you when shopping for new stationery to avoid disagreements later. This year, you will be able to touch, try and feel Pelikan products at Back to School through demonstrations and workshops. The company creates products which inspire creativity and imagination, encouraging children to express themselves in diverse ways through writing, drawing or painting. And the clean up after the creativity will be easy too with new exhibitor Dettol getting involved to showcase their healthy hand washing tips.