School is coming for most children. In Minnesota, school generally starts the day after Labor Day, although Minneapolis, and a few other places, start the week before. With a few breaks, the school year will run until around the first week of June.

School-day mornings can be a hectic time, with kids running around trying to find homework and matching shoes, parents trying to get breakfast into them, and everyone running out the door to catch the school bus. It’s helpful to have a routine for school days, which might include picking out clothes the night before, having all homework in backpacks and by the door before bedtime, packing lunches for the week on Sunday night, or other things. This is one of the areas where an organized au pair can be a godsend for their host family! If you have ideas on how to make things go more smoothly, please share them!

During the fall here, the weather can change dramatically in a few hours. Kids will need warm coats, maybe even hats and mittens, in the morning, but in the afternoon they will be overheated unless they stash all that in their backpacks. Kids should have layers that make it easy to change from warm to cold weather – hoodies, T-shirts under button-down shirts, and ‘magic’ gloves that can be easily stuffed in pockets are some easy ways to help kids go with the flow.

Homework is another area where au pairs can make their family’s lives go better. Many families have the kids come home from school, give them a snack, and have them do their homework immediately before they can do anything fun.

Finally, there is no time in a child’s life when they don’t benefit from reading with an adult. Younger kids enjoy being read to, and older kids can take turns, or even just read to their adult. This experience can shape their whole lives, because it teaches them that reading is an important skill, and that they are important to other people. Plus it’s fun!