Take Note! Tips for the New School Year

Back-to-school time is nearly here, which means parents everywhere are bracing for the frenzied shopping, new schedules, and busy days that are soon to come. With so much to do and buy for the kids, you likely haven’t given much thought on how you can prepare yourself for a fresh start, too. With a little planning, upgrading, and a bit of strategic shopping (and downloading) you can set yourself up for a less stressful, more organized, and stylish new school year. Before the school bell rings again, check out these 6 helpful high- and low-tech ways to prepare yourself for a fantastic start.

1. Get your correspondence in order
Undoubtedly, there are times when you can’t depend on a text or email to communicate with your child’s teacher or coach – and these times are typically of the last-minute variety. Rather than wasting precious morning minutes scrambling to find a scrap of paper, be prepared with stationery made for the job. We love these jazzy, customized envelopes that’s especially handy if you have more than one child, since you can include multiple kids’ names in your customization, along with your contact info so it’s as easy as checking a box and including a quick note, check or signed form. ($14 via Hedoe Paper)

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2. Let someone else decide “what’s for dinner”
We’d all like to get a healthy, tasty, home-cooked meal on the table, but who has time to search for all the preparation? An online meal planning service can make it a whole lot more doable. Of all the meal planning apps out there, Cook Smarts is one of the most popular. It’s praised for its quality of recipes, interesting foods and tutorials. For $6 per month, you get weekly dinner menus customized to your family’s food preferences (gluten-free, Paleo, vegetarian). It also teaches you how to cook them and creates a grocery list so there’s no more nightly trips to the store to get what you need. A meal planning service will save you time, money at the grocery store and will help you to get healthier food on the table for your family.

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3. Prepare to be mobile
Chances are a new lunchbox, backpack and maybe a duffel for after-school activities are on the back-to-school list for your child – and for good reason. We all need a way to have what we need away from home, when we need it. Make sure you are prepared for your day, too, by choosing the right carry-all for your needs. You’re more likely to pack yourself a healthy lunch when you have someplace to keep it fresh, more likely to hit the gym after work if your easy-to-carry gym bag is locked and loaded, and you just might feel a little more confident in your abilities to juggle it all when you have just the right travel or work bag. This lunchbox from Poppin ($20) is grown-up worthy and the Toss Audrey Bag would make a great go-to bag – perfect as a carry-on, weekender, or business bag ($120).

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4. Tee up childcare
It’s almost guaranteed that you will need backup childcare during the school year. Whether your child is home sick, the nanny calls in sick or your regular sitter who covers you for date night is unavailable – you’ll need backup. Take the time to spell out your childcare plan. Know whom you will call for backup during the year (nearby family, a helpful neighbor) and have a network of reliable sitters at your disposal. If the UrbanSitter app isn’t already a favorite on your phone, you are missing out on a big lifesaver. The free app gives you the peace of mind of knowing you will always have a trusty sitter at your disposal, and can easily book her anytime, anyplace.

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5. Boost your motivation with a new pair of shoes
Because shouldn’t a new pair of shoes be on every back to school shopping list? Whatever your workout, shake it up with a new pair of sneaks. You’ll kick start your motivation and even improve your workout when you put on some snazzy new shoes instead of those sweaty old things you’ve been wearing for way too long. We love these Nike Free TR Connect 2′ Training Shoe ($72.90) via Nordstrom.

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6. Upgrade your calendar
Whether you’ve been depending on your trusty, old-school day planner, consider upgrading for better efficiency. Busy parents juggling activities and commitments for the entire family would find Mynd helpful. It’s essentially an intelligent mobile calendar that acts like your own virtual assistant. Not only does it keep you organized, it also keeps you on time and prepared by reminding you of appointments – and even provides drive times and weather forecasts for specific meetings. There’s no time wasted transitioning to a new calendar and getting up to speed. Download the app and you’ll instantly be asked for access to your current calendar so all events are immediately available in Mynd. Available free from iTunes.

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With a few downloads and a little shopping, you’ll be ready to sail your family into a well organized, promising new year.

Five Fun Back-to-School Books

You might be the kind of lucky parent who has a child who jumps in the car or rushes off the school bus anxious to tell you all about her day, and doesn’t let you leave her room at night until she unleashes even her tiniest worries. If not, you’re likely frustrated with asking your child about her day and getting little more than a shrug or a mumbled, “fine.”

Want a great tool for getting your child to share details about her day and open up about any anxieties and feelings she may have about school? Start a dialogue by reading a book together. Hearing a story about a subject she can relate to is an easy way to start talking about what happens in her own day. It’ll give you the perfect opportunity to dig a little deeper and calm any worries before they build.

Check out these fun, conversation starters that are ideal for little ones starting school for the first time:

First Day Jitters
Julie Danneberg (Author), Judith Dufour Love (Illustrator)

A fun, surprising story about the classic anxieties of going to school for the first time, and the realization that children aren’t the only ones to have butterflies in their bellies (the teacher does, too!).

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
Joseph Slate (Author), Ashley Wolff (Illustrator)

A colorful, well-illustrated introduction to Kindergarten with the added bonus of ABC practice.

 

David Goes To School
By David Shannon

David breaks all the rules at school, keeping his teacher on her toes with his eyebrow-raising shenanigans. In the end, he makes it all right and goes home with a satisfying gold star.

Chrysanthemum
By Kevin Henkes

A sweet story about a sensitive little girl who feels left out and is teased because of her long, funny name. An eccentric, loved-by-all teacher shows her the value in being different and makes her the star.

Splat the Cat: Back to School, Splat!
By Ron Scotton

Especially fun for dedicated Splat the Cat fans. Even parents think Splat is pretty darn funny.

Books are also great to stock up on for a night with the babysitter. Find your next babysitter on UrbanSitter.

Are After-School Activities Really Worth the Time and Money?

No doubt, the impending start of a new school year is already taking a toll on your budget. It’s a bit hard to swallow the thought of also adding in the cost of after-school activities, including registration fees, uniforms and equipment. Those activities might be fun for your kids, but in addition to quickly adding up to become a not-so-insignificant line item on your household budget, they also require a a good deal of scheduling logistics, carpool coordination and on-the-fly dinner preparation. It may sound appealing to forego the extracurriculars this year, but before you do, read on.

The academic, social and physical benefits of extracurricular activities are undeniable. The Afterschool Alliance, an advocacy group dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of after-school programs, reported research that shows kids who participate in after-school programs and activities have big advantages over their peers who don’t get involved. Just a few of the benefits of participation include the following:

  • Better academic success.
  • Higher school attendance rates.
  • Lower risk of obesity thanks to far less time in front of a computer or TV screen.
  • Development of leadership and cooperative skills.
  • Stronger friendships and mentoring relationships
  • Bigger ambitions for their futures.
  • Down the road, kids who are involved are less likely to use drugs or get in trouble.

Sold on signing them up, but wondering where to begin? There is no shortage of activities, including independent and team sports, music and dance lessons, art and language classes, and science and nature clubs. This year, rather than bowing out of the registration frenzy or signing them up for the same roster as always, why not break out of the box and let them try their hand at something new?

We’ve scoured extracurricular offerings and talked to insiders in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Chicago to find some of the most fun, unique offerings for your preschool and elementary-aged kids. Next, check out “Super Cool After-School Activities Round-Up!”.

Before You Go…. Advice to the World’s Newest Students

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt

Over the past week or two, many of us have ushered our babies off into the world as they embarked on their first day of kindergarten. As mothers and fathers, we’re left with an empty hand and a jumble of emotions.

We’re excited for our children and all they are about to see and do and learn, ecstatic that we have survived the baby and toddler years, and a bit sad and nostalgic for the early years that have flown so quickly by.

Of course, our babies aren’t truly gone and our job as a parent has only just begun.  Maybe the hard part is just about to start.  If only we could program their little heads with an instruction manual for how to move through the years without us there to protect them. Provide a guide for how to avoid any unnecessary emotional bumps, bruises and broken hearts.

Allison, who writes an entertaining, irreverent, honest and hilarious blog about her life with kids, summed it up nicely in a post she wrote for her blog, Motherhood WTF.  “What I Wish He Knew” is a list of the advice she wishes she could tell her five-year-old as he goes off to school for the first time. With her permission, we’d like to share with you a few of our favorite words of her wisdom. We hope it’ll help you get started on creating a list of your own.

What advice would you add to the list? What do you wish your child would take to heart, remember throughout the years so that he’s a little wiser, a little stronger, a little bit more protected from all life will send his way?

Here’s what Allison would tell hers:

?       Don’t exchange what you know in your heart for what you think others will find cool.

?       Peer pressure is stupid, and anyone applying it is not worth your worry.

?       Whatever it is that is breaking your heart today, I promise that it’s not that important. Let it go and move on.

?       Your life is so long ahead of you. All of this daily drama is small in the big picture.

?       Don’t let yourself be labeled or pigeon-holed. People will try. You can be as many different things as you want to be, and you can always change.

?       It’s OK to be different.

?       It’s OK to have a lot of friends. It’s OK to have a few.

?       It’s OK to do and be whatever it is you want.

Start your list by sharing with us what you’d like to tell your child. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Go Outside! 10 Fun Activities to Get Your Kids Moving Outdoors

Now that your kids are back in school and likely spending a sizable part of their day in after-school activities or riding along in carpool, it’s important to make time to get outside to play.

Experts recommend toddlers receive an hour of daily physical play that includes time outdoors. Older children, ranging from preschool to school age, will benefit from at least an hour of physical play, which can be outdoors when weather cooperates.

Before we reset the clocks and lose an hour of  precious daylight,  get out and enjoy some fresh air and late summer sunshine with your kids. It’ll make everyone feel better inside and out!

Here are 10 fun activities to get them moving outside:

  1. Take a family nature walk or hike. Watch for signs and evidence of the changing season.
  2. Build an outside obstacle course for the whole crew.
  3. Learn a new jump rope song. Remember Miss Mary Mac?!
  4. Go fishing.
  5. Explore a new bike path.  Consider investing in a mounted child or infant carrier seat for your bike, if you don’t already have one. That way, you won’t need to leave anyone behind!
  6.  Try roller blading.
  7. Create your own map on the sidewalk or driveway with chalk.
  8. Play soccer. Your family vs. the neighbors.
  9. Have a race.
  10. Rent an inflatable jumpy house for a couple of hours. Get a few families to pitch in, and make it a party!

Don’t have time to get outside with your kids? Bet your sitter would love the chance! Find & book babysitters instantly on UrbanSitter.

Make a Commitment to Better Breakfasts

The new school year has begun, and there’s likely not one of us who is not committed to creating a less harried, more balanced, healthier daily life for our families.

You have to start somewhere, so why not let it be with breakfast? After all, research shows that kids who eat breakfast not only do better in school, but also tend to eat healthier the rest of the day, participate in more physical activities, and get their daily requirements of fiber, calcium and other important nutrients necessary for good health and growth.

Here are 5 Ways to Send Your Kids Off with Satisfying, Healthy Breakfasts that are just as yummy as they are quick and easy to make.

  • PB & J Burritos. Stock your freezer with peanut butter and jelly burritos to defrost  at a moment’s notice. Spread pb&j  (or almond butter and fruit preserves) on a whole wheat or rice tortilla, wrap tightly like a flute, and freeze. Microwave in the morning.
  • Pancake Roll Ups. Layer a frozen, heated pancake with peanut butter, top with sliced bananas and roll. Add a carton of milk or fresh juice to go with it and you have a good meal to eat on the run. Or, you can make your own pancake batter by mixing 4 c. flour, 3 tbsp. baking powder, 2 tsp. baking soda,  1 tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 c. milk, 1 beaten egg and 1 tbsp. melted butter.
  • Smoothies. Keep on hand large cartons of non-fat plain (or Greek) yogurt, several packages of frozen fruit, bananas, quick cook oats and any kind of milk or juice to make speedy breakfast smoothies. In the morning, load the blender and let it sit and soften a bit while you get the kids ready so you avoid the dreadful roar of a blender tackling rock solid, frozen fruit. For one smoothie you need 1 sliced banana, 1 c. frozen fruit, 2 tbsp. yogurt, ¼ c. quick cook oats, a bit of sugar or Agave, and 1 c. milk or juice. Blend for a complete breakfast in a cup.
  • Yogurt Parfait. Whip up some parfaits by layering yogurt, fresh berries and granola in a pretty glass.
  • Breakfast Pizzas. Serve breakfast pizzas by spreading low-fat ricotta on a slice of a baguette, top with tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and add a dash of salt and pepper. Broil only if you have the time.

Following these easy formulas and substituting with what you have on hand, makes preparing breakfast a breeze, and gives you the peace of mind of knowing you’ve started your day and theirs’ off just right.

Super Cool After-School Activities You Won’t Want to Miss

We’ve surveyed the afterschool landscape in search of the hippest, hottest, most fun extracurricular activities for your preschool and early elementary-aged children. And we’ve scored! Some of these activities look so thrilling, you’ll want to check out their adult classes, too!

Classes fill quickly, so take your pick and get your kid on the roster ASAP. Remember, even if you can’t swing afternoon carpool, there’s a babysitter out there that’s just right for the job. Log onto UrbanSitter and search by the days and times you need. It’s as easy as that!

In the San Francisco area:

SeeSaw

A very groovy play studio in Hayes Valley with great workshops and classes for after school up to age 10, and something throughout the day for kids as young as one.  They offer a range of classes, including toddler play time, language and music lessons,  arts and crafts, yoga and emotional and social skill building.

House of Air

This trampoline gym offers a “Junior Geronimo” program for ages 3-6, giving little ones a safe, supervised jump space and parents an onsite café where they can take advantage of some free time.

In the New York City area:

Trapeze School New York

Really. The school claims children as young as four often have the coordination to attend classes here, but our insider mom recommends 6 as the starting age.

Brooklyn Robot Foundry

A very cool place that blends designing, building and playing, while teaching kids about electricity, gears, motors, and how things work. The DIT (Do It Together) class concludes with the kids bringing home their own robot. Fall classes start in October.

In the Chicago area:

Menomonee Club

Awesome indoor center with activities to spark the interest of any kid, including sports and fitness, cooking, science and engineering labs, arts, music and dance, theater and martial arts. Most are geared toward the TK and up crowd, but they do have a few selections for preschoolers.

Common Threads

After-school cooking and nutrition classes for elementary-aged children, focusing on basic cooking skills, healthy eating and world cuisine. Students are taught by real chefs, and prepare healthy meals to share with their classmates. The school also offers an outdoor gardening class (Spring and Fall) where kids learn to grow and harvest their own healthy eats, and then incorporate them into recipes.

In the Los Angeles area:

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The LACMA has several offerings for kids, including an intergenerational art class for kids at least 3 ½  years old and their families. It’s a chance for kids, parents and grandparents to learn about and make art together at the museum.

Los Angeles School of Gymnastics

It’s more than just gymnastics here – although you can’t find a better place to learn the basics and team level sport. Let your kids pick what speaks to them – tumbling, trampoline, karate, All Star Cheer, parent and tot classes, and Rhythmic Gymnastics (think gymnastics blended with dance and ballet with twirling ribbons and hula hoops!).

In the San Diego area:

ArtSoup

Drop-in art studio for kids age 2 to 14. Tons for your kids to sink their hands into at this open studio, which includes a VW Bug as a canvas, glass and chalk walls, activity tables, a 20K brick Lego Castle, and a stocked, self-serve craft bar.

Alma Latina Dance Company

For a low monthly price, your child can take unlimited classes, attending a favorite class or two or choosing to try something new each week.  Offerings range from ballet and hip hop to Latin dance and yoga.

If you like our picks, let us know and we’ll keep’em coming with new selections for your kids to mix it up this school year!

UrbanSitter’s Back to School Handbook: Part 2 – Send Them Back to School in Style

We’ve made your back-to-school shopping list as easy as clicking on our favorite pins and deciding which you’ll choose to outfit and arm your little one for the new school year. Whether he or she is off to preschool or grade school, we’ve got you covered with super cute, hard working staples. Check out our Back to School Style Pinterest board or this list:

  1. Leave it in the hands of a professional by subscribing to this groovy service that mails your little one a coolest-of-the-cool outfit each month. You complete a style survey to help stylists choose a look that’s just right.
  2. Little Man will be tearing up the playground with these stylish new kicks by Keen.
  3. Protect your investment by labeling everything from jackets to sippy cups and water bottles with these trendy, no-one-can-call babyish, and totally waterproof labels.
  4. Lunch boxes have come a long way since we were kids. Try the bento route this year with one of these slick, eco-friendly.
  5. Who can’t relate to the ickiness of transitioning from summer flip flops to stuffy socks and sneakers? Avoid sock meltdowns with these soft, seamless, no-binding organic socks that beat plain white ones any day.
  6. For times when a t-shirt won’t do, give him a blazer with some ‘tude.
  7. When the weather’s still a bit steamy, these easy, breezy skirts make the grade.
  8. Preschoolers need backpacks, too. You can ease their load with one of these little-kid sized picks from SkipHop.
  9. Isaac Mizrahi supposedly goes to Estella for inspiration. Maybe you should, too.
  10. For preschoolers who are lucky enough to have quiet time at school, this nap mat we found on Etsy looks as good as it feels.

Follow UrbanSitter on Pinterest! Missed the Back to School Handbook Part 1? Find out how to Tame the Morning Chaos.

Start the School Year Off on the Right Foot: 3 Strategies to Tame Morning Chaos

photo by D Sharon Pruitt

With a new school year right around the corner, we’re working on the UrbanSitter Back-to-School Handbook. Our guide will help you ease into fall, step by step, without the stress and with plenty of confidence and style.

This week, we show you how to tame morning chaos before it starts. We’ve identified three challenges that have a way of sabotaging even the most prepared mom’s morning routine, and have provided simple strategies to stop them in their tracks.

3 Simple Strategies to Put an End to Morning Chaos

If your house is like ours, you know the drill. There are far too few minutes between the early wake-up alarm and carpool takeoff. It’s no fun to start your day screaming at your children while you crawl around the floor trying to find a missing shoe, scratch out a permission slip, or pack a lunch.

Follow these 3 strategies to put an end to the chaos and send your kids off happy and well-prepared:

1. Avoid the wardrobe battle once and for all. Determine where you stand in letting your kids choose their clothes, communicate the rules and stick to them.  Experts say it’s important to set parameters for what kids can wear to school, but to also give them options to give them a sense of control and help them learn to make decisions. Letting them have a say also builds confidence and a sense of personal responsibility.

  • Make peace with whether simply clean and comfortable is good enough for you or if you demand a bit more of your prodigy’s    appearance.  We guarantee you haven’t heard the last plea for wearing snow boots in the summer, a size-too-small Christmas dress in September, or a pair of Cars pajamas for a play date. Let them show their personality and style as long as if feels appropriate to you.
  • Take the time to choose an outfit you both agree on before bedtime, rather than five minutes before morning carpool.

2. Corral everyday necessities and find them a home. Command stations keep handy everything your family needs to get out the door each day. There’s no more last-minute searching if you designate a permanent spot for backpacks, lunch boxes, permission slips, homework, carpool notes, and clothes for after-school activities.  Don’t forget to include a spot for a packed and ready-to-go diaper bag. Pick a system that works for you:

  • Hooks and a shelf with bins for each child.
  • Cubbies or lockers.
  • A basket near the door, or if you’re lucky enough to have one, a coat closet with plenty of space for everyone.
  • And for all, a designated drawer for paperwork the teacher sends home, and email folders for digital communication for each child.

3. No more last-minute lunch making. It’s a daily challenge – packing a simple (fast and easy-to-make), healthy lunch that your kids will eat. Make it easy on yourself.  Get your kids to help pack their own lunch after dinner the night before, or better yet, have your sitter tackle the task with them. Stick with one of three formulas, along with a reusable drink bottle:

  • The Classic: Sandwich, fruit/vegetable, something savory (crackers) and a taste of something sweet. Packs nicely in a traditional lunch along with reusable sandwich and snack bags. These by Lunchskins are now available at Target.
  • Leftovers: Basically a bit of last night’s dinner balanced with whatever it takes to make it just as appealing as last night. A small thermos jar is handy for warm or cold meals. Check out these customizable picks.
  • The Bento: A little bit of this, and a little bit of that.  Makes it easy to please picky eaters, feed them healthy food, and provide some variety. Love these eco-friendly, very cool bento boxes.

In the next weeks before the first school bell rings, we’ll also show you how to send your crew back in style, choose after school activities that stimulate rather than stress your kids, offer lunch ideas that will make your kids the envy of the lunch room, and prepare for the endless barrage of birthday parties that is about to come your way!

Back to school means back to routine! Make date nights a part of your weekly routine by scheduling a regular babysitter online with UrbanSitter.