The Smart Mom’s Guide to School-Readiness
By Capital M Moms

So, you’re sending your sweetie off to Kindergarten? You’ve been preparing her whole life for this moment… or not. No worries, there’s still time to ensure your school year starts out with confidence, independence and minimal tears (we’re looking at YOU, mom!)

Teach your child how to dress and eat independently. Boom – instant rockstar parent status in the eye’s of your child’s teacher.

• Teach your child “The Magic Coat Trick.” Tags at your toes, arms in the holes, flip and go! Watch our video demo here. https://vimeo.com/352840129
• Use labels made especially for labeling children’s clothing to help your child put her shoes on the right feet. We love Lovable Labels, a Canadian company that has stickers made for this exact fix! Check out their “Match It” shoe stickers. Genius right?
  We also love their Back to School and Day Care packs which include everything you will need to label your child’s clothing and school gear and ensure it gets back to you when they leave it behind. Use code “SchoolSpecial” 15% OFF + Free Shipping on ANY online order. Expires August 31, 2019

• Make lunches EASY for your little one to manage. Many lunch items are difficult to open (yoghurt, applesauce) and kids often feel rushed when school only gives a short lunch period. Think not only about nutrition when you pack lunches, but what will be EASIEST for your child to eat independently. Eliminate lots of different bags and packages and look for mess-free options like Doddlebags.  These smart, mom-invented fillable bags with a spout are perfect for school. Freeze a smoothie or yoghurt in your DoddleBag and put it in your lunchbox. It’ll keep everything cool and you can drink it chilled at lunch time.

Speaking of earning rockstar status, teach your child to wipe.

Yep, we said it. Noses, butts, the works. Often when children head to kindergarten, they’ve been potty trained for a few years but still struggle with wiping effectively. No big deal when mom or dad are around to pick up the slack, but this can cause anxiety when they head to school.

• Boost their confidence by encouraging independent wiping a few weeks before kindergarten. We love Kandoo flushable wipes (available at Walmart, Loblaws and Sobeys) to make wiping a lot easier and more effective while they are still getting the hang of it.  They clean-up to 30% better than toilet paper  and are the perfect size for little hands (one wipe is about the size of two pieces of toilet paper).
• Help your child manage that runny, drippy nose independently by giving a little extra help in the form of a super smart nose wipe. We love Boogie Wipes  to make wiping and cleaning noses of all ages SO much easier. Made with natural saline that dissolves mucus  and vitamin E, aloe, and chamomile to moisturize.

Do your research when it comes to back to school shopping for new clothing. It’s a known fact that on the first day of school your child will suddenly hate their “favorite outfit” you bought just weeks prior.

• Some stores, like Giant Tiger, offer amazing “no questions asked” return policies that are made for families with finicky kiddos.
• Giant Tiger offers a Happiness Guarantee with their children’s fashion lines. If you are not completely satisfied with your kid’s clothing, simply return it along with your receipt, and they’ll cheerfully refund your money. Some exclusions apply. In addition, customers can return merchandise that has been worn and will receive a full refund (with receipt).

Don’t cause undue stress by worrying about academic benchmarks before school even begins.

We often hear, “My child is supposed to be able to read when she starts kindergarten!” or “What do I do if my child doesn’t know all of his letters?”  Know that reading acquisition, similar to any other milestone like walking or talking, is developmental. Putting too much pressure on your child to learn to read before she is ready can cause undue stress and a lack of growth in their social/emotional development.  There are many things parents can do to support their young child and prepare them to become a reader in a more developmentally appropriate way.

Download our “How to Read With Your Beginning Reader” printable here.