Backpacks:
When it comes to finding the right backpack, whether your child is in grade school or college, it's important to consider more than just looks.
Get a Good Fit
A backpack should never hang more than four inches below your waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing you to lean forward when walking. Select a backpack that has adjustable straps that will enable to you adjust the length of your backpack.
Product:
· Super G Color Me Backpack (propped with books in the large pocket and a few pencils in the smaller pocket)
Compartmentalize!
You can never have too many compartments. A backpack with multiple compartments helps position the contents most efficiently to distribute the load.
Product:
· Barcelona Paper Pouch Lime and Orange (propped with notebooks, papers, pens, etc…)
Choose Padded Straps and Wear Both Shoulder Straps
Wide, padded shoulder straps are very important for comfort. Make sure straps are snug, but not too tight. If they are too loose, your backpack will dangle uncomfortably and can cause back and muscle strain.
Carrying the backpack on one shoulder can cause a disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as lower-back pain.
Product:
· JanSport Cabesa Blue All-Nighter Backpack
Transition: Now, that you have the right backpack, let's talk about the most important part of the school day…lunch!
The Right Lunch Bag:
Choose a durable, reusable lunch bag that's the right size for your child. The Insulated Lunch Sack is a great size for elementary-aged kids and the Insulated Lunch Carrier is a little roomier for older kids and their bigger appetites.
Product:
· Insulated Lunch Sack (propped with food)
· Insulated Lunch Carrier (propped with food)
Make Time for Lunch
Prepare fruit and veggies the night before and last minute additions the morning of such as sandwiches - ensuring everything stays fresh and ready to go. Use smartly designed containers to ensure students will never have a smashed sandwich! Use containers with dividers to keep a sandwich, chips and fruit tastefully compact and compartmentalized. If you're making multiple lunches, assign everyone a color so no one takes the wrong lunch.
Product:
· Klip-It Lunch Cube (propped with a sandwich, fruit and pretzels or garnola bar)
Planning Ahead
Make lunch planning a part of your menu planning for the week - just like you plan your family's dinners. Create a master menu for at least three weeks and you can then rotate your weekly plans for the entire school year - there's no need to reinvent the wheel every week!
Product:
· Magnetic Monthly Calendar (filled out with the lunch menu)
Locker Organization:
Maximize Space
In the hustle and bustle of those few minutes between class, books end up on top of lunch sacks, and students are left with flattened sandwiches and broken chips. Maximize vertical space by adding a shelving unit made specifically for lockers, which provides multiple levels of storage for better organization. Students will be able to locate items with ease and make it to class on time.
Product:
· Janus Locker Shelf (propped inside a locker)
Keep a Schedule
Students can avoid tardiness, losing homework and missing after-school commitments by developing organizational habits that will help them stay on track. It's helpful to keep a calendar or message board on a locker door to keep track of due dates and events.
Product:
· Twilight Bloom Magnetic Dry Erase Board (propped inside a locker)
· August to August Calendar (propped on a T-Stand)
Be Prepared
A locker well-stocked with pens, pencils, note paper and other school supplies will ensure that the right tools are always at hand. A fold up organizer with several compartments can be easily hung on a hook in a locker and is an ideal way to keep those supplies organized and easily accessible.
Product:
· Twilight Bloom Fold-Up Locker Organizer (propped with notepads, pencils, highlighters, scissors, calculator, etc…)
