Real Mum's Experience and Tips for the Back to School Transition

AD – This post is in collaboration with Very

How fast do the Summer holidays go? We’re rapidly approaching the middle of August and before we know it, the early rises and morning madness will return, and we will be dropping the kids back off at the school gates.

If you haven’t started your back-to-school prep yet, here are my tips and hints for a stress-free back-to-school transition – featuring some of the fab school uniform and accessories range at Very.

Table of Contents

Selecting your School Uniform

Selecting your child’s school uniform can at times be challenging. Do you send them back in Summer uniform or Winter? Do their shoes still fit? Have they grown during the holidays? Here are some things to consider:

Pick their favourite style for their school uniform – whether that’s pinafores and skirts, playsuits, shorts or trousers – comfort is key. Involve your child by showing them a choice of designs and letting them decide which they prefer. Getting their buy in is half the battle.
Does your child struggle with buttons? If your child struggles with buttons, look out for blouses with touch buttons fastenings for easy dressing. For younger children, polo shirts are a great alternative that can help them get dressed without assistance, promoting independence and raising their confidence in the process.
Remember, most schools don’t insist on branded school wear anymore – and thank goodness, as the cost can really start to mount up. Whilst you may want to get one cardigan or jumper with the school badge for photo day, the rest of the term it is perfectly fine to wear high quality and affordable unbranded designs.

Focus on the fabrics – If you’re short on time or simply want to make your life that bit easier, look out for products with crease resistant fabrics that can save the need for ironing. Some items even offer teflon and anti bacterial coatings to keep them fresh all day long, whilst water repellent fabrics can also protect them from sudden down pours – which always start the second it hits 3pm.
Label their uniform – and trust me when I say literally EVERYTHING. From shoes to cardigans, PE kit and bags use sew or iron on labels to clearly identify your child’s possessions. I made the mistake of thinking my 9 year old could be trusted but in the last 2 years she’s lost two individual trainers. *Sigh*
Last but not least – you can NEVER have too many pairs of white socks. Eaten by the washing machine, lost under the bed – it’s a bit of a mystery, but they go missing almost as quickly as hair bobbles.

The perfect fit School Shoes

Don’t assume that the shoes from last term will still fit – you will be amazed how quickly your little ones feet can grow during the holidays.
Pick designs that your kids will actually want to wear – there’s nothing worse than trying to get a reluctant infant to get their shoes on when you’re rushing out the door for the morning school run. Pick fun designs such as the Clarks Sea Shimmer shoes below. With a fun mermaid and seashell design, chances are you’ll have difficulty encouraging them to take them off rather than the other way around!
Get their left and right mixed up? If your child is always putting their shoes on the wrong feet, consider cutting a sticker of their favourite character in two and sticking one half on the inside of each shoe. That way, when they come to pop them on, they can visually see which shoe goes on which foot, without asking for help.

Pick a trusted brand – shoes that are made from softer materials and canvas will rarely last the test of time. You need shoes that will withstand even the most energetic of running, skipping and jumping – the phrase buy cheap buy twice certainly applies.
Keep it simple – If your child is young or has yet to master the art of tying their shoelaces, opt for school shoes with simple velcro rip tape straps that are the easiest and most efficient to get on (and off) before and after school.
Children of the 80’s rejoice – For those of you that are old enough to remember them, you’ll be pleased to learn that Very even have the Magic Steps Clarks shoes back in stock – so much nostalgia!

Taking a Packed Lunch?

Get them involved – They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but most children can need a bit of encouragement when it comes to eating a heathy packed lunch. Whilst schools will insist on a balanced lunchbox, give your child the choice of this or that – this way it feels like they have made the decision, when the reality is both options are a suitable choice.
Tricky packets and wrappers? – For younger children, you may wish to open or make small nicks in packets and wrappers so that they can easily open themselves without needing to ask for assistance.
Don’t feel the need to be crazily creative – you may master it on week 1, but it will be difficult to keep up the momentum for the whole term. If you want a simple way to make lunchboxes fun, why not add a note – we love these printable lunchbox jokes that are sure to raise a smile.

Stylish and practical School Bags

Depending on your child’s age; they wont need a school bag right away, but when they do; there are few things to bear in mind:

Style – Let your child be involved in the decision making – when the school bags start being essential they’ll want to ensure they can express their own personality, from their favourite colours to keyrings and accessories.
Consider the size carefully – you want it to be big enough to house all their back to school essentials without completely swamping then, particularly if they have a small frame.
Comfort is key – If your child is going to be walking to school, comfort is key, look for bags that not only have a large capacity, but have padded shoulder straps and back, and adjustable straps for comfort
Small storage – Look for bags with a mix of pockets, cupholders and compartments for smaller items like bus passes and lunch money, helping your child find what they need quickly and efficiently.

Last but not least, remember you don’t need to go crazy. Money is tight for everyone this year, but you can pick up some a high quality back to school outfits at Very without spending a fortune including packs of 5 short sleeved shirts for just £14.

We’re all kitted out for the back to school return…. but as for our bedtime routine; well that’s still got a long way to go!!

If your children are still going to bed at 9pm, now is probably a good time to start gradually bringing bedtime forward again!