19 Back to School Tips From the Pros

Seizing the day takes on a whole new meaning when you've got little ones to wake, dress and feed. We turned to our team of Savvy scribes, editors and experts for their advice on how they make the transition to back to school in their house. From tried-and-true morning routine tips to managing the flow of school papers, these are our best from the best.

Plan with your kids not for your kids. Write down the things that need to happen in the morning. Work out times that go along with each task (breakfast at 7:15, brush teeth at 7:35). Now the kids know what is expected and instead of nagging them, you can say, 'What's next on your list?' Practice the morning routine a couple of mornings before it actually needs to happen. - Parenting Power, Savvy Expert Contributors

We attached an old iPhone loaded with the kids' favourite songs to a Bluetooth alarm clock/speaker and every night before bed they get to choose a song to wake up to. In the morning when their alarm blasts their favourite tune, they are excited to wake up and get themselves dressed and teeth brushed. - Leslie McCormick, Integrated Campaign Specialist

Keep a set of toothbrushes on the main floor for post-breakfast brushing to avoid a trip upstairs. Also, keep extra socks for the kids in the front hall or kitchen—they often come down to breakfast without them and you can save yet another trip upstairs this way. - Sarah Morgenstern, SavvyMom Co-Founder

I always wake the kids up earlier than required. It's much more efficient than if I have to drag them out of bed and try to get them going in 20 minutes. They may end up watching the sports news before school or playing basketball in the driveway at 8 am, but getting them where they need to go on time is worth it. - Jan Scott, Food Editor

I love that you can colour-code events and tasks on iCal. I use a different colour for each kid, and then I can see how activities, tests, and school outings will fit into our lives in a glance. - Deanna Regan, Vancouver SavvyScribe

I have each of the kids create their own ‘in-boxes' on their desks. They drop all their cheque requests, permission slips and other papers into their inboxes as soon as they get home and we go through it at night and pop them back into their backpacks completed. Having an inbox for each child makes it easy to note if one child is missing one of the forms. - Alison Rockwell, Toronto SavvyScribe

Teenage boys eat a ton but can fortunately make their own breakfast, so I keep food on hand that they can quickly prepare like yogurt and granola, frozen fruit for smoothies, precooked bacon, bagels, peanut butter, bananas and lots of energy bars. I believe that if they can make good breakfasts, they will make good husbands one day…and if I make breakfast, they will be late for school. - Minnow Hamilton, SavvyMom Co-Founder

Set the breakfast table, make the lunches and (most importantly) set the coffee timer so that coffee is ALWAYS ready when you wake. I also like to rise 30 minutes earlier than the rest of the family so I have time to myself to blow dry and/or catch up on emails. That way when my kids get up, I can give them my full attention. - Christine Rigby, Community Manager of SavvyStories

Make sure everyone's stuff for school, including boots, hats, mitts, backpacks, etc., is in the front hall so the kids can pick up and go with a bagel in their mouth if they have to. - Sarah Morgenstern, SavvyMom Co-Founder

The nightmare of dinners (when everyone is on the fly) becomes easier with menu planning. On Sunday we plan the weekly menu, each child gets to pick one night where they decide the menu, and (ideally, activities permitting) they help me cook that night. The inevitable complaining is kept to a minimum! - Deanna Regan, Vancouver SavvyScribe

Weekday morning breakfast for the kids is kept extremely simple, and by this I mean no 'cooking'! They have a choice of fresh fruit, pre-made smoothies, cereal or healthy homemade granola bars. Once the weekend comes we love to have a lazier breakfast and make banana bread or pancakes. - Lindsay Evans, Editor-in-Chief of RecipeGeek.com

Kids move faster in the morning when they know there's a scooter or bike outside waiting for them to use. Plus, getting them moving on the way to school means they'll be ready to focus when they get to the classroom. Start the night before by getting all the equipment ready so there's no digging for helmets at the last minute. - Active for Life, Savvy Expert Contributors

I always let the boys pick out a couple of new back to school clothing items to wear on the first day. Even if they don't match. They get excited about the new clothes and want to show their friends. - Michelle Tice, Vancouver SavvyScribe

My daughter is a bit pokey when it comes to getting dressed so I created the Dressing Olympics game. I say, ‘And the competition has begun! Ally is off to a slow start but we know she can win this race!' She jumps to it and dresses ridiculously fast as I do a quick commentary. I finish with, ‘She wins gold!' It's a fun way to get her dressed without making it a constant frustration on her end—and mine. - Robyn Burnett, Calgary SavvyScribe

Empty the dishwasher and set the table for breakfast the night before—it's a drag to do this before you go to bed when you want to be having a relaxing evening, but it's even more of a drag to have to rush through it in the morning. This way, you start the day off right. - Sarah Morgenstern, SavvyMom Co-Founder

I wake up an hour before my kids so that I can do my hair and make-up, get dressed for the day, meditate (for 10 minutes), pack lunches, make a vanilla latte and eat a healthy breakfast—all without the kids pulling at my legs! I also keep to a schedule each morning and try to keep things consistent. This not only helps to keep me relaxed but it gets us out of the house on time! - Lindsay Evans, Editor-in-Chief of RecipeGeek.com

I go to hot yoga nights before I need to wake up early. It chills me out, and I sweat a ton so I absolutely have to shower at the studio afterwards. Since I don't get home from class until about 9:45 pm, I just slip into bed. The next morning I wake up showered, refreshed, and feeling purposeful! - Jody Robbins, Calgary SavvyScribe

My kids swap chores and tasks with each other based on their likes. My daughter loves making beds, so she'll make her brother's. In exchange, he helps her with her sunscreen. It's waaaay better than being interrupted with requests for assistance every two seconds while trying to juggle all of the other getting out the door requirements. - Janice Quirt, Toronto SavvyScribe

I highly recommend an app like Walk In My Closet where you can save outfit options on your phone. That way you have a quick reference of outfits you know you like so you don't have to think about what to wear every morning. It saves loads of time and helps you look great, too! - Wendy Woods, Savvy Expert Contributor