You are still on holiday and your thoughts start slowly to turn to the new school year. It's always a bit of a stressful time of the year for both children and parents so follow our guide to deal with the start of the school year with serenity...

The key word: get organised!

There are always lots of things to be done when you return from your holidays: sort the papers, prepare your little ones' things and get back into the routine.

            To avoid the home becoming a place full of tension and stress, plan ahead!!

            For the kids...

You have received your list of school supplies in advance so don't wait until the last minute to acquire everything that is needed. There are always lots of people, endless queues and a sort of frenzy for the last purchases at the end of August. If you start early, you will find more choice and you can stay serene until the end of the holidays. What's more, you will have a greater choice of school bags which is not an insignificant factor!!

Lastly, don't forget that some local stationers allow you to leave your list and they prepare it for you. A great time-saver!

            What about the paperwork?

OK, so the return to school is also the period when you have to provide many things:

- school and extra-curricular insurance certificate

- identity photos

- medical certificates

So instead of waiting to be asked for them, prepare them in advance so that everything is handy. Paediatricians are used to the requests for medical certificates and there is nothing to stop you from asking for them a bit ahead of time. They are always over-loaded the week that school starts.

And, just in case, keep the following handy:

-       Photocopy of your 'Livret de Famille'

-       Photocopy of  your tax notice

-       Your children's vaccination records

-       Photocopy of your social security and mutual cards

-        

Just some of the paperwork that is always or almost always requested when school starts!!

            And prepare the everyday

The return to school also means many little things such as making sure your children have the clothes, sports kit and divers equipments that they need, checking the the clothing is marked, subscribing to extra-curricular activities.

            1^st thing: sort what you already have: nothing is better than having a big clean out to avoid doubling up. So empty the cupboards then put things away!!

Once this has been done and wardrobe completed, mark the clothes. This is a bit of a chore but it is essential to avoid any losses during the year. Fortunately, there are solutions that save time: thermo-adhesive labels that can be ordered on the internet.

            2^nd thing: get back into the routine little by little. During the holidays, you take your time, you are less worried about times and the rhythm is more random. This is why the children must slowly get back into their routine of going to bed early and, eventually, getting up early, etc. To be done gently! 

Lastly, think about making your children responsible for getting their things ready in the evening, think about taking their toy, their packet of handkerchiefs or bottle of water...

            And for the parents?

It's also the return for you, the moment when you go back to work, when you take back control of the home and get back into your daily routine. Take advantage of the last minute of holiday to get everything back in order, sort your papers and other administrative documents and start the year under the best conditions.

            From the return, you can start developing mutual support between parents for the school run, lunches or anything else that can make the tasks easier.

            Stay Zen!!