Even if I’m not ready for summer to end, there’s something about shopping for back to school supplies that is fun. At least until I hand over the credit card, that part isn’t fun.
Still, it’s fun to see bright shining backpacks, newly sharpened pencils, and lunch boxes that aren’t stained by juice boxes. None of that will last, but it’s still a neat time of year.
Part of our back to school routine is setting up a homework station. We pull together all the things that the kids think they will need in the coming months. Our supplies include paper, pens, pencils, a pencil sharpener, highlighters, calculators, rulers, scissors, glue, a hole puncher, a stapler, paper clips, and a few report folders. We put our homemade pencil cups to good use. If your children will be doing big projects go ahead and buy poster board and markers. We also get a box of peppermint tea and some hard candies for making those long homework sessions go a little smoother.
This blog entry may seem a stretch for the fun section. After all what is fun about homework? I decided to include it for three reasons. One is that with all the supplies handy, your kids will be able to complete their homework quicker so they can move on to fun things. Another reason is that looking for all these supplies on the night you need them isn’t fun. My last reason is that while homework isn’t as fun as playing games, it can be a nice time. Homework can be a time to get to know what your child is learning and what they are thinking. It can be a time of encouragement, of connecting with a child you haven’t seen all day, of everyone learning something new.
I have shared many laughs over the years with my children during homework time. And yes, I’ve also shared a lot of frustrating moments, too. To be honest I dread the coming school months and our extra hectic schedule. Knowing that we at least have the supplies makes transitioning to school life easier.
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