The hustle of the back-to-school journey is on the horizon and as the school bell rings once again, Aussie families are gearing up for another year of packing lunches and washing uniforms.
Here at Westinghouse, we know the key to a smooth back-to-school transition is getting ready ahead of time and hacking your way through it. So, buckle up as we share some time-tested strategies, and practical tips for ensuring a smooth transition from lazy summer days to bustling classrooms from the people who know it best – seasoned mums and dads.
Melissa, Mum of Two
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Don’t turn your nose up at hand me downs:
Second hand items not only make a positive impact on our planet as it reduces clothes ending up in landfill but also helps save money. Kids get so dirty at school whether it’s sports or arts and craft. However, with good laundry habits you can give hand me downs another lease of life. I usually wash clothes inside-out as it helps prevent the dye from fading. Also, fastening zippers on clothes will avoid small holes and unnecessary wear and tear. -
Lateral lunchboxes:
One of my kids refuses to eat sandwiches, so we have come up with alternatives to keep things interesting. Instead of your classic sandwich, we make a mini platter of all their favourite fruits, and veggies and to mix it up, we even pack in some crackers, sushi or cheese.
◦You could also try our Pizza Scroll’s recipe for something different
Tom, Dad of Two
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Get in the habit of doing as much as you can the night before:
The final thing my partner and I do is get everything prepped the night before. Bags packed, clothes out on the kids’ chests and lunch boxes packed as much as possible with things like The only thing to do in the morning is making sandwiches. -
Consolidate your tasks:
The school uniform is now a thing in our world so I will throw my son’s shirts in my own ironing pile for the week that I do on a Sunday, so we are ready for the week ahead and don’t have to stress about last minute ironing the night before.
Mitch, Dad of Two
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Save time in the laundry process:
We hang our kids laundry wet on coat hangers to dry to save the need for ironing. -
Hack the lunchbox:
From a frozen poppa that acts as cooler as well as slushie drink, to scheduling in a lunch order once a week and trialling different snacks, we’re all about making the school lunchbox pack as easy as possible because it can easily become a big pain point as a parent. -
Implement the trial-and-error method:
Try different snack and lunch options in the holidays when you have a bit more time to prepare them and then ask the kids if they want this in their lunchbox. After all, it’s much easier to experiment in holidays than in the back-to-school hustle.
