It’s that time of year again. Time for parents far and wide to get ready for the annual back to school rituals. There is a few things I wanted to go over for all the single parents sending their children back out to school.
As a single parent, child care is something you need to consider especially if you work outside the home. I’m not talking the day to day child care, but the sick days and the holidays that your children have off and you don’t. Make sure you have a child care that can take your children on those days, or make sure you have back up child care that can take them if your regular child care can’t. Being a single parent makes this doubly important because you don’t have another income to fall back on if you need to take time off for these occasions.
Back to school costs is something that can add up quickly and completely throw off a single parents budgeting. Make sure you do your research and shop around. I hate shopping/looking around with a passion. I just want to go to a store, get what I need and get out. However, I wouldn’t do that for large purchases like buying a house, or car, or even appliances. I won’t do that for back to school shopping either. Look at fliers in the mail and in the newspaper, go to several different stores in the area and actually write down the prices of everything you need. Once you have what is needed figured out, use that number and the amount you don’t want to go over to figure out a budget for all of the wants for back to school. Stick with that number. All the little things can really add up.
The routine itself is very important. Changes in routine are not easy to handle and can be especially hard for a single parent. Make sure you give your children at least two to three weeks to get back into the school routine. Give them one week to just practice the routine itself when they get up, then change their wake up time and bedtime slowly to coincide with what it will be once they are back in school. Have a big day planned the day that you will change their bedtime. Get them outside for a lot of fresh air and wearing off a lot of energy so they are actually going to be tired at bed time. Get a bedtime routine going so their brains and body realize when bed time is coming. Cut out TV, computer and video games at least an hour before bed so their brains have that time to slow down.
Expect to Start All Over Every School Year
Let Schools and Others Know When Things Change
It’s Time to Get Ready for Homework