Life has certainly been strange and almost surreal in the last few months as the government had to enforce lockdown quickly to try and restrict the spread of COVID-19. Sadly, many families have lost loved ones, but thankfully, the numbers of patients needing hospitalisation never reached the high predicted levels and now lockdown can be eased and our kids can go back to school.
It will seem strange though, having not had to worry about getting the family up, dressed and out the door in time for school each day and suddenly there seems so much to organise in anticipation of their return to school.
Don’t forget it’s summer uniform!
Whilst time is on your side, it is a good idea to get all the school uniform out and get it checked for size. An important point to remember is that your kids will be returning in the summer term so could well have grown out of their summer uniforms. If you do need to replace items, don’t forget to order some name tapes! Specialists like Name It Labels also have both traditional woven name tapes and iron-on name tapes in their range that are just what you need. Orders are made online and dispatched promptly in the post. If you are lucky enough to get away without buying new school clothes, check that the current ones are in good condition with no dropped hems or buttons missing – and check for missing name tapes too!
Sort out the sportswear
You will definitely have to get your child to try on their sportswear and make sure it is fitting well – check that it has all has name labels too! If you may need a bag for sports shoes or clothing, Name It Labels do both – with names clearly printed on the front!
Check school shoes fit too!
It is surprising how children’s feet can grow in a relatively short time, so best to check that their shoes and trainers are the correct size. I have always found it hard to mark shoes effectively because names often get rubbed off the shoe soles. Last time I was on the Name It Labels site I noticed some cleverly designed shoe tabs that make shoe marking a doddle! The shoe tabs are colourful and clearly marked with your child’s name and are speedily fitted into the back of each shoe – even in a heap of shoes the same colour, your child will be able to quickly identify their shoes!.
Bags, Stationery and lunch boxes…
You will need to quickly check that your child’s school bag is in good order and that your child has plenty of stationery and a full pencil case! Stick-on labels are a quick and easy way to label all these items and you can get some really eye-catching and colourful ones which make identification easy – especially those with motifs, which are ideal for younger children. The labels are really durable and are dishwasher proof too.
… and plenty of confidence too….
Whilst you are preparing your child’s kit for school and making sure that every item has a name tape, it is the perfect opportunity to talk about going back to school with your child. The events of the last few months have been something that none of us have experienced before and for children it has been a particularly difficult time with no school, no friends no outings and parents trying to work from home. School will be very different now with much smaller classes and socially distancing between desks and tables. Ensure your child fully understands the situation and the reasons why. Arming your child with the knowledge is very important as this will ensure that they fully understand the situation and do their best to keep safe. Pop a little bottle of Anti-bacterial hand wash in the top of their school bag- clearly with their name…and kisses…
