Katy ISD students are meeting their teachers for the first time this week. Emotions during this time are exaggerated as students anxiously await that initial meeting, finding out who will be in his/her classes, and getting all their supplies in order. The unknown is scary to even the most self-assured.

To help your student with Back to School Jitters, consider some of these ideas:

• Write his/her teacher a letter
• Host a "So Long Summer Party"
• Prepare! Have your child pack his lunch, lay out his clothes and shoes, and have all necessities in his/her backpack for the first day.
• Read Back to School books and talk about your child's emotions
• Make sure your child gets a good night of sleep.

Parents are often overwhelmed during the first days of school, as well. Lunches, paperwork, new clothes, new shoes, paperwork, scheduling, and oh, did I mention paperwork? Ugh! If you happen to have more than one child you might as well block off an entire night (or two) to do nothing but fill in discipline forms, lunch forms, safety forms, schedules, etc. The paperwork alone can put any sane person over the edge.

Here are some helpful tips for not only getting everything done, but staying sane in the process:

• Organize a paperwork party. Invite a few friends to bring their paperwork and a dessert to share. Provide the drinks and enjoy a night with friends as all of you get those mundane forms completed.
• Start filling them out as soon as you get them. So yes, right there in the classroom during Meet the Teacher. Getting them done there and leaving them will keep them from getting lost in the shuffle.
• Have one specific place where all school papers will go. Take 10 minutes each day to go through them. Put all dates on your calendar with the info needed and then either return the form or toss the paper, depending on the information given.
• If you have older children, allow them to fill out their own forms and just check for accuracy when they are done.

FreckleTown hopes that you have a great start to a new school year. Here's to hoping that your kids' teachers are all amazing, your kids' friends are in their classes, your paperwork gets done (and you remain sane in the process), and you actually enjoy the beginning of the year. Goodluck!

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