Followed by the more relaxed routine of summer, the start of school can feel like a shock to some parents. Not only is there a stricter school routine to consider, but there are often a million things that need to get done to prepare for the school year, such as buying books and supplies, planning meals, and figuring out everyone’s schedule. Amidst all this school preparation, there’s one tried-and-true solution: hosting an au pair with Au Pair in America. This flexible, live-in childcare option can work wonders to calm the chaos that comes with preparing for the school year.
Review our back-to-school preparation to-do list and learn how hosting an au pair can help!
Get a Physical Exam ✅
One of the first things on your back-to-school checklist should be a visit to the doctor for your children, because many schools require students to have physicals before returning to the classroom. Try to get these done as early as possible so you’re not rushing ahead of school deadlines.
Your au pair can support you by driving your child to and from the doctor’s appointment (depending on their age), or if you have multiple children, staying at home with one while you take the other to an appointment.
Double-Check Summer Assignments ✅
Many schools assign students, especially older kids, summer reading and other tasks that should be completed before school starts. Your au pair is the perfect person to check in with them and ensure they’re making good progress on any summer assignments.
Check on Transportation ✅
How are your children getting to and from school every day? Pickup and drop-off schedules can be a major point of stress for parents, especially working parents with busy mornings and afternoons. Whether your children are taking the bus and need someone to walk them to and from the bus stop or they need to be driven to and from school, your au pair is ready to support you and make your day-to-day a little easier.
Review the School Calendar ✅
Take time to review the school calendar for the upcoming year and mark important dates—holidays, early dismissals, teacher professional development days, and school breaks—on your personal calendar. This will help you avoid scheduling conflicts and ensure you’re prepared for any changes in routine. Be sure to share this information with your au pair and discuss any planned trips or family events. Additionally, ask your au pair to let you know when they plan to take their vacation days so you can coordinate schedules with ease.
Attend a Teacher Meet-and-Greet ✅
Many schools offer a teacher meet-and-greet before school starts so parents and teachers can get to know one another. While you’re at the teacher meet-and-greet, your au pair can stay at home with your children and work on their back-to-school checklist.
Make a List of Meal Ideas ✅
Before school starts, go over meal ideas with your au pair. Remember, your au pair can cook and prepare meals for your children, including breakfast before school, a packed lunch, and dinner.
To add a bit of cultural flair and learning, encourage your au pair to try out some meals from their home country for your children to bring to school—you may just discover your child’s new favorite recipe!
Set a Standard Bedtime and Wake-Up Time ✅
Bedtimes and wake-up times often change during the summer, when children don’t have to be up so early and the sun stays out later in the evening. To make things easier for you and your children, start getting into the school routine a few days before classes begin. This can help ensure your children have no trouble falling asleep or getting up in the morning when school officially starts.
Before bed, you can have your au pair help your children get ready, brush their teeth, and read bedtime stories. Then, in the morning, your children can practice getting up early and getting ready for school, which can help your au pair prepare for the real thing, too!
Schedule Them for a Haircut ✅
Preparing for the start of school is the perfect reason to get your child a fresh haircut. Schedule an appointment with your barber or salon and ask your au pair to take them while you work on some other responsibilities or enjoy a moment of rest.
Plan the First Day of School Outfit ✅
The week before school starts is the perfect time to plan your children’s first day of school outfits. Your au pair can help you and your children pick out clothes from their closet, and if you realize they need new ones, your au pair can help you decide on new clothing items for the children or look after them while you go shopping.
Review Last Year’s Supplies ✅
Supply runs are one of the biggest tasks to prepare for the school season. Fortunately, an au pair can help with that! Before you and your au pair set out with your wallet and grocery bags, take some time to review what supplies are left over from last year. This will prevent you from buying anything your children don’t need or thought they’d use but never did.
Back-to-School Shopping Check List ✅
Back-to-school checklists can feel incomplete without a comprehensive shopping list. In addition to your school’s supply list, which generally lists pens and pencils, erasers, markers or colored pencils, notebooks, books, binders, and other classroom essentials, we’ve compiled some other helpful back-to-school items:
- Water bottle: A reusable water bottle ensures your child will be hydrated throughout the day and doesn’t have to leave the classroom to drink from a water fountain every time they get thirsty.
- Lunch box: A lunch box is a great item for children to have, even if they buy lunch at the cafeteria—whenever field trips come up, they’ll be glad to have it!
- New clothes and shoes: If your child is growing quickly, chances are they’d benefit from some new clothes. Plus, it can be fun for children to put on a fashion show to highlight their new adorable back-to-school outfits!
- Name labels: To ensure water bottles, jackets, and other easy-to-lose items can be located in lost-and-found bins, get some name labels!
- Rain gear: A compact umbrella or a rain jacket will ensure your child isn’t soaked as they start their school day.
- Planner or calendar: A planner or calendar is a great tool to help older children stay on top of their assignments and practice time management skills.
- Diary or journal: A journal is perfect for recording daily experiences, working through challenges, drawing, and practicing writing skills. Think about all the wonderful memories your child will be able to look back on during their year with an au pair!
Feeling overwhelmed by the back-to-school shopping list? Ask your au pair for help. They can go with you and your children to buy school supplies and help them organize everything after it’s purchased, so you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Or, have your au pair watch the children while you go to the store on your own (hello, quick and efficient shopping!).
Tackle your back-to-school checklist with ease—host an au pair with Au Pair in America!
Au Pair in America is the world’s most experienced live-in cultural childcare program. Every year, we help hundreds of families across the country enjoy the advantages of reliable intercultural childcare. We thoroughly screen and train all our au pairs, and our dedicated team will support you throughout your program. Take the stress out of your back-to-school checklist and host an au pair with Au Pair in America!
