What are your hacks for being an organized parent during the school year?

[Anonymous]

Amazon Prime on AmazonSmiles. I shop. I give to the school. I feel pretty ok with life.

[Anonymous]

We all location share on Google Maps on our phones. I can keep a tab of where my kid is and when he comes back home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not really a parenting tip but a juggling tip. I have flipped how I do chores to have more time with my kids. Laundry, dishes and minor house straightening happen in the evening when I have least amount of energy and I want to make sure that the kids are sitting down doing their homework. Dinner gets cooked early in the morning along with the breakfast and packing everyones lunch boxes.

This is smart. Since I WOH and couldn't cook a dinner in the morning to save my life, I do a version of this but the cooking is mostly in blocks on weekends.

[Anonymous]

School year events repeat themselves each year. Look at the school calendar for last year to figure out when events will happen for each grade, I use this technique as my kids are in ECs that require them to travel and so I need info to plan the year.

[Anonymous]

OP, is your family plagued with health issues? Why do you need all doctors' information at your fingertips at all times?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, OP, if you weren't so over the top, you might have received some helpful suggestions, but you are out of control...

Just reading this made me exhausted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are some of mine.

Medical -
1) Contact info for all of our medical doctors for entire family, pharmacy and urgent care is programmed on all cell phones in the family, our land line, on the cloud, in our wallets and also printed and kept in each car glove box - PCP, Eye, Derm, Ped, Dentist, therapist, Allergist, Gynecologist etc.
2) Get flu shots for my entire family in August. I also schedule dental, derm, eye exams before school starts.
3) Make medical appointments for the school year, as soon as the school board approves the school calendar for next year.
4) Maintain a file for each family member and I get a copy of all tests for them from each dr. Keep a record of all vaccines and health checkups like regular pediatric, booster shots, school mandated shots, flu shots and travel shots - share with the school what is appropriate.
5) Print school medical excuse forms and keep it in your car. I get one signed each time I need my kid to be excused from school and submit them promptly when my kids return to school.

School Lunch -
1) Have a list of kids approved school lunches handy so you are not stumped for what they will like to eat.
2) Buy lunch boxes that have seperate zippered areas to keep individual wetwipes, house keys, and some cash.
3) While my kid does not buy school lunch, I keep around $10 in his school lunch account, in case he needs to buy lunch at school.

Teachers -
1) Have a list for the time for each period, teacher, subject and room number. Create contacts on your cell phones and emails. Send individual emails to them if your kid is unwell, along with the attendance office. I have found that the teachers are very accommodating and will allow my kids to make up tests and assignments, if I have kept them informed beforehand.
2) If you like to give class donation, Christmas, TA, end of year gifts - keep a list of the what, when and who.

General School info -
1) Create your own calendars for all school closings, test dates, EC actives etc.
2) Work along with your children to create these lists and calendars and then share these chores, lists, calendars with them. You want to do this for a few years only. Once your kids are little older, you want them to do this.
3) Share all your lists and to dos with your family on cloud.
4) Check school picture day date and schedule haircuts a week before that. Figure out solid color clothes options for picture day.
5) Use your smartphone to text your kids to take their meds, do chores or do homework. Use nest or ring to know when kids are back home.
6) Carpool with others and have their info handy and work with a timetable.

Good God, do you not have a life?

[Anonymous]

I feel like OP just typed out a ton of stuff that lots of high-functioning people already do? I mean...get a lunchbox with pockets and keep $ in the lunch account? OK. Put the school calendar dates on your calendar? YES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the best hack ever, you guys! I HAVE A CALENDAR!!!

Lololol

I reacted the same.

Guys, I keep people’s contact info! Praise me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, is your family plagued with health issues? Why do you need all doctors' information at your fingertips at all times?

Right? Why on earth do you need to keep health forms in your car?

[Anonymous]

We pay for a school that provides lunch and requires uniforms. Half my parenting load is lifted. Athletics is in school hours. Snap

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the best hack ever, you guys! I HAVE A CALENDAR!!!

I have one of those things too. It hangs on my fridge and has squares for each day.

Lol at "hacks". Did you mean strategies? You aren't actually hacking anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, is your family plagued with health issues? Why do you need all doctors' information at your fingertips at all times?

This! Including the...dermatologist?! You know what I do? I just look the numbers up online on my smartphone if I need to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have the best hack ever, you guys! I HAVE A CALENDAR!!!

Lololol

I reacted the same.

Guys, I keep people’s contact info! Praise me!

Hahahaha.

[Anonymous]

Flu shots in August? That’s...not how that works.