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Chat with Ruthie tips for Back to School

Chat with Ruthie tips for Back to School

I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that summer’s winding down and all of our kiddos will be Back to School in just a couple of weeks!!  Crazy.

Summers are hard to have come to an end…

Tips for Back to School by whatscookingwithruthie.com

Kate, Jake, and Madi… Summer 2003

 

I remember when my kids were little and going back to school was sometimes a scary thing- for them AND for me!  I’ve often written little notes of encouragement and tucked them in their lunch boxes or taped them to the bathroom mirror!  But, this “note” is a little bit extra special for Back to School… it takes a small amount of preparation but your kids will totally LOVE it!!

 

back to school

Back to School Tips by whatscookingwithruthie.com

 

A Back to School Candy Gram is a fun way to let your kids know you’re thinking about them as they head off to their first day of school!  All you need is 2 sheets of colored paper, a permanent marker, scotch tape, and a quick trip to the grocery store for the candy 🙂

 

Of course, there are probably a hundred ways to make a Candy Gram!   It was hard to choose which candy bars to use but I ended up with a Dove bar, Skor bar, Snickers bar, Starbursts, and a Ring Pop! If you want to get really fancy, you can use stencils or work these up on the computer and print them out BUT, I went for the homemade look and just wrote it by hand!

 

Our Candy Gram says:

 

Happy 1st Day of School!!

We “Love” (Dove bar with the D changed to an L) you so much!

We know you’ll have lots of fun with your

new class!  Try and “Skor” good listening points and hold back the “Snickers”!!  You are our shining “Star” (with “burst” covered)  🙂

Love,

Mom and “Pop” (pop ring with the “ring” covered)

Back to School Tips by whatscookingwithruthie.com

 

AND a few tried and true Back to School Tips that I’ve found really helpful over the years:

 

~ Begin your Back to School schedule about a week before school starts; this helps kids get back in the swing of an “early to bed/early to rise” schedule again!

~ Help each child pick out & lay out their 1st day of school outfit; this avoids the panic attack with trying to find things in the morning 🙂

~ Make and set each child’s Candy Gram by their bedside for a fun 1st Day of School surprise!!

~ Wake up a few minutes earlier just in case something happens that you don’t expect; there’s nothing worse than being the “late kid” on the first day of school!

~ Help your kids eat a healthy breakfast; we all know it’s the most important meal of the day!  (even if it’s just scrambled eggs and toast!)  They will be full and happy until lunch!

~ Remember to snap some First Day of School pictures!  The time goes SO fast and it’s a lot of fun to look back at all those years of pictures with my kids standing together with their backpacks on!

~ Encourage, support, and MOST of all let them know how much you love them!

~ Remind them of their “how to get home from school plan” so, they’ll know what to do and won’t be scared 🙂

~ AND try not to shed a back-to-school-my-kids-are-another-year-older tear UNTIL they’re are safely tucked away in their classrooms!

 

Here are a few of our Back to School pictures from when my kiddos were younger…

Tips for Back to School by whatscookingwithruthie.com

Madi 2nd grade, Kate pre-school, Baby Jake

Tips for Back to School by whatscookingwithruthie.com

Jake’s 1st day of Kindergarten! He was a bit of stinker for the camera!!

Tips for Back to School by whatscookingwithruthie.com

Kate 3rd grade and Jake 1st grade! Aren’t they so little and cute? 🙂

 

Thanks for chatting with me today… I hope some of these ideas for getting Back to School are helpful 🙂

AND I recently started writing for Family News.com so, check out this article that published July 27, 2012!!

Love,

Ruthie

PS-  If you’re new to my site, Welcome!!  Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest… Let’s stay connected!!

  1. […] …tips for Back to School  {What’s Cooking With Ruthie} A combination idea for the first day, between Schultuete and American candy cards. […]

  2. Debra says:

    I love the candy card! Wonderful tips, I can’t believe it is that time of year again!

    • Ruth says:

      I can hardly believe it myself, Debra… summer goes way to fast!! What are your fave back to school ideas?

  3. That’s such a cute idea!! What a good momma 🙂

  4. At our house about a week before school starts the boys leave out their back packs and the back pack fairy brings all kinds of wonderful treats and surprises! Thanks for the candy gram idea-so cute!

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