It's the final countdown...

do-do-do-do, do-d-do-do-do!  It really is the final countdown, only four weeks until school starts back up.  It's a vicious cycle; waiting for summer vacation, then anticipating the start of the school year.   Here are some of my best tips for getting back into the swing of things and surviving the school year.

• Be Prepared!  It not only works for Boy Scouts, but for being ready for the school year, too!  Get the supply list for your child's class as soon as possible and shop the ads for school supplies.  Having a Master Lock ready for the locker or paper and pencils for the new desk can boost their confidence on the first day of school.  If there is a sale on facial tissue, stock up!  Joe's class ran out last year.  Mostly because he had a cold for half of it.  
• Be Informed!  Bring your calendar and notebook with you on back-to-school night.  Trust me on this one.  My hubby decided to sign me up on some committees, and I didn't find out about it until I got e-mail notices for meetings.  Most teachers have their year pretty well mapped out in advance.  Jotting down the dates for the 100th day party, the Friendship Feast and the class play will make it easier to plan around and get time off of work to participate.
• Be Brave!  Bring the checkbook.  Chances are you are going to have to pay for P.E. uniforms, ASB cards, and countless other things that will add up to a small fortune.
• Be Involved!  Get to know your child's teachers.  Chat with their classmate's parents.  A little bit of friendliness goes a long way.
• Be Available!  The hardest thing at our house is to get a child who has been in school for 8 hours to want to do his/her homework.  We have some down time after school, then try to get the homework done while dinner is being prepared.  That way I can help when help is needed and not be peeking over their shoulder the whole time.  Most schools have grades available on-line, so keeping tabs on whether homework is getting done/turned in is fairly easy.
• Be Calm!  And carry on.  Sometimes that's all we can do.

I wrote this post to enter a contest for a Master Lock back-to-school prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.   All opinions are my own!