This back-to-school season is very significant for the Lowe family because all three children will be in the classroom this year. Samuel, my oldest son, is starting kindergarten (I can’t believe it!) while Isaiah starts Pre-K 4, and Mia begins her very first day of pre-school. After two difficult years, I am excited for my children to experience some normalcy.
It’s so important to my husband Sean and me that our children are in the classroom to learn, grow, and thrive. To us, school is more than just academics! We are excited to see our children continue to build their social skills and creativity with their classmates. We are also still learning on how to best support them during this exciting life chapter. This is the first time all three of our children will be out of the house, but we’re practicing different back-to-school tips to help set our children up for a successful school year.
1. We support our children’s independence.
Our kindergarten only allows caretakers to walk students directly into the classroom for the first two school days. After that, we can watch our children enter school from the sidelines. Of course, it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to Samuel every morning, we think it’s a great idea for parents to take a step back. We’ve already seen Samuel’s confidence and independence grow in just a few weeks. Recently, he’s been asking to pick out his outfits. We’re letting him choose what he wants, and he’s been coming up with some great looks!
2. We encourage healthy habits every day!
Sean and I practiced healthy habits with our kids throughout the height of the pandemic, such as washing their hands, covering their coughs and sneezes, and throwing out used tissues. These tips are engrained in our household, but we continue to remind our children that they still need to follow these best practices while in school. We know their teachers and classmates will appreciate it!
3. We understand that teachers can use help from parents.
We love our teachers, and we know it can be a tough job. It is no surprise that teachers often use their own money and resources when schools cannot meet classroom needs. If you haven’t done so already, ask your school for their preferred back-to-school lists to ensure we are prepping our children with the right tools they need for the year. Mid-year after winter break, we like to check back in to see how we can help refresh classroom supplies to continue the momentum.
4. We disinfect surfaces around the house.
To help prevent the spread of illness-causing germs in school and at home, we like to clean and disinfect the kids’ school supplies like back packs, toys* and surfaces the kids touch after they get in from school. Our go-to products are Lysol Disinfecting Wipes and Lysol Disinfecting Spray. Of course, disinfecting supplies are also great for teachers to use in the classroom. Lysol partners with Frontline Impact Project, which allows teachers apply to receive free Lysol disinfecting supplies for their classroom. Teachers can learn more on the Frontline Impact Project site.
This year, I’m proud to partner with Lysol to help support the Here for Healthy Schools initiative. I mentioned that it’s important for my children to thrive in the classroom, and Lysol is all about helping to keep illness-causing germs at bay to help reduce absenteeism.
*Rinse with potable water after use.
