Month: August 2012

The start of the school year can be a stressful time for parents and kids. But it doesn’t have to be!

How can you prepare for a smooth transition for the back-to-school season?

We have teamed up with some fabulous companies to make your back-to-school transition a breeze.

The first step is to get organized. Review school-generated checklists then create a budget and stick to it. A recent study conducted by Chase found that 38% of consumers are setting school supply budgets this year versus 26% who said the same in 2011. It is important that schools have the supplies that they need to give their students a full experience of education, there are certain departments that can be underfunded so they need all the help they can get. For example, science departments do need quite a bit of equipment for experiments and laboratory classes, so putting requests in for test tubes, metals, bunsen burners (here’s how to use one safely in a lab so kids are aware), etc. will need to be factored in to a new year’s budget.

Since you’ll be buying so many supplies for school, stick with a credit card that has reward programs. If you are unaware of what credit card reward points entail, see this site to learn more about it. Always remember to choose a credit card that is designed to help you save, invest and pay down debt easily. For a first-time credit card user, annual fees might be worrisome. However, there are financial companies like SoFi that don’t charge any yearly account management fees. Such credit cards might better suit your budgeting plans, and also make it easy for you to get everything your child needs for a new school year.

When America thinks of school supplies they think of Elmer’s glue so it’s no surprise the brand is the official sponsor of the 1st day of school. This year, Elmer’s introduced this fabulous 1st Day app for your iphone or Android phone making it so easy for parents to capture 1st day of school memories. The photos you take with the app are directly uploaded to www.the1stday.com where you can organize photos by child or grade using colors or tags and you can create slide shows with music and share them with family and friends. The app is totally free and can be downloaded in your app store or off QR codes found on Elmer’s glue bottles. Best of all, for every photo uploaded, up to 200,000, Elmer’s will provide essential school supplies to the Kids In Need Foundation.

We love the Five Star Flex ® Hybrid Notebinder not only because it’s your child’s notebook and binder combined into one but because also its super durable. All Five Star products are built strong to last long and the innovative Flex Star Flex, with its patented Tech Lock ® rings won’t break so no matter how tough your kid is on it, it will survive. It folds over itself then lays flat so it doesn’t monopolize precious desk space and you can get the Five Star Reinforced Filler Paper so the note paper doesn’t rip and disappear over the school year. It’s available in several different sizes and offers additional features to fit your child’s needs.

Keeping kids healthy lets them get the most from their education. Wipes are always on that back to school checklist so I recommend Scotch-Brite™ Botanical wipes. Unlike most disinfecting wipes, Scotch-Brite’s™ Botanical wipes do not require rinsing before or after use to keep surfaces clean. Best of all, not only do they kill 99.9% of germs but they are made entirely from botanically pure plant extracts.

We also recommend being as involved in your child’s education as possible. Make an effort to know their teachers and their friends. See if their school surroundings are safe enough and well maintained according to proper hygiene standards. It is possible that many schools have their own cleaning staff or recruit from somewhere like this Janitorial Cleaning Kingston service for the required amenities they need in terms of making sure that the educational vicinity is kept as clean as possible.

It is more than just making sure that your child’s school is kept clean and hygienic though. As a parent, you can also ensure that you have access to all the information concerning your child and their school atmosphere. Ask them questions about their day that elicits more than one-word answers. This way, you will be able to learn everything there is to know about their day, such as what they are learning, what the other kids are like, and whether they have come across any bullying.

According to the American SPCC (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), 6 out of 10 students witness bullying at least once a day. Watch out for warning signs in your child. If they are reluctant to go to school, request you drive them often to avoid the bus, or if their grades inexplicably begin to fall, they may be suffering from abuse of a bully. Confront these issues immediately and encourage your child to be open and honest. Remember, you are just as big a part of your child’s education as their school!

Hair is big in my house.

It’s the topic of many conversations with my “hipster” boys.

So I was a star as a mom today when I took my little guy to JC Penney for a free haircut. But what made my son shine was letting him get a “mohawk”. And there was no one better to style my star than JCP Salon Head Stylist, Nick Stenson.

And the best part — it was free and for a good cause! To get kids ready for school, JC Penney is giving kids free haircuts for the month of August and as part of the JCP Cares campaign, $1 was donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Amercia and 4-H for every kids’ haircut given today.

But it’s not too late to take part. And if big hair is not your thing, every child needs a trim, a buzz, or even a new style for the start of school so make sure to do it at JC Penney this month.