August is "Back to School Month"!

For many children, my grandsons included, August is when they return to school for the 2023/24 school year. While some children may not find the return to school a reason to celebrate, most children are ready to go back to class so they are able to engage with their friends and learn new things - certainly reasons to celebrate for sure! So, how do we celebrate the return to school? Holiday calendar had some excellent ideas - consider the following . . . 

• Organize - or take part in - a school supply drive - some families struggle to provide the necessary supplies, so if you are able to get extras, this is a great idea for you and for the children you love to give to others.
• Throw a back-to-school party - invite the neighborhood children to a party with games, snacks, and be sure to take their pictures as well!
• Plan a teacher appreciation event - anything from sending apples, to giving them gift cards for coffee or school supplies . . . it is always a great idea to show appreciation to others so be sure to involve the children you love in this idea!

You will find more of their ideas at this link.

You might also plan to fix your children/grandchildren's favorite supper the first day of school and allow time to share how the first day went. Encourage them if they had struggles, think together about ways to overcome, and if they had a great first day - celebrate! Be sure to encourage the children you love to be on the watch for other children who may be struggling and to always be kind.

Back to school is upon us, so doing what we are able to do to make it a great start to a new school year makes sense - and can be a lot of fun, too!