Every Parent Should Know These Schoolbag Packing Tips

They say being a parent is the most rewarding experience.

It’s probably true until you begin a chaotic school day morning. Fueled only by caffeine, you pack your kids’ bags with try your best to organize everything from pencils and notebooks to their midday snacks. 

Seems easy enough…until you forget to pack something or find out the juice box is leaking inside the bag. There’s just not enough time to look for what’s missing or handle the mess.

Parents, we need to take our mornings back. Let’s start with packing a school bag that doesn’t explode just before you walk out the door.

Preparing Your Kid’s Bag Minus the Chaos

It’s normal to juggle the demands of work and responsibilities at home. Great nannies are hard to find and maybe you and your partner choose a more hands-on approach with the kids.

Here’s how I would do this as a mom with a full-time job and 2 preschoolers:

Rule #1: Pack Only the Essentials

Kids love bringing toys to school, among other things. It’s a great way to give them a sense of familiarity while they join a new setting filled with unfamiliar faces. It can also pave the way to making new friends.

One or two familiar items are okay. It’s even encouraged by researchers and psychologists to help lessen the stress and anxiety.

Apart from this, only the essentials go in the bag, including pencils, pads, notebooks, books, crayons, snacks, and a drink.

Rule #2: Organize and Use Compartments

                  Pens, markers, and a pair of scissors in the case, papers clipped to a folder, and notebooks organized by subject’s schedule. There’s a lot we can do the night before to prepare our kids’ bags, but organizing it is especially important.

When things are organized and placed in their respective compartments, it’s easy to replicate the action, even when you’re feeling like a robot the next morning.

If you don’t have a snack box and there’s more room inside the bag, make sure to use a sealed container for food to avoid stains. It’s also best to pack the cold beverage in its own compartment to avoid getting papers wet.

I found out that doing this activity while they’re young will help with their sense of responsibility and organizing skills.

Rule #3: Do A Weekly Reset or Cleanup

It’s inevitable. A day will come when you’ll find an assortment of trash, a leftover sandwich, and unnecessary items in the bag.

You will also, nonetheless, find watercolor and crayon marks on the bag every art day.

A mini-weekly check and clean-up will prevent molds and bad odors from thriving inside and staining school supplies.

Wiping it down using wipes is the simplest way for a mini-reset. Give special attention to high-touch areas like the shoulder straps, carrying handle, zippers, buckles, and linings.

Ink and food stains are also easier to remove with a spray-on stain remover that you can agitate with a brush before wiping it down clean. Hang it out open to let it breathe and completely dry before returning the items inside.

Building Your Child’s Confidence and Independence

Who would have thought that preparing a school bag with your kid could help inspire their independence and confidence? You may not notice it at first, but with the right mindset and attitude, they’ll be preparing it themselves in no time.

A child will rely less on comfort items, help build their routine, and do simple problem-solving with these activities. As a result, they’re empowered to face school days with greater independence. And you can reclaim your mornings minus the chaos.