Back To School -by Unknown

“Today I hurry off to school,

To work and learn and play.

I’m in a brand new grade this year.

What a happy day!”

  It’s August and that means that metro Atlanta schools are starting back in session. Summer flies by more quickly each year. It seems as though the approximately 10 weeks of summer vacation that metro Atlanta children receive from school just started, when in actuality it is time for them to return for the school year. Here are some of the metro Atlanta start dates:

START DATE		SCHOOL DISTRICT
Monday, August 03, 2015		Bartow County
		Cherokee County
		Cobb County
		Decatur
		Henry County
		Paulding County
Tuesday, August 04, 2015		Barrow County
Wednesday, August 05, 2015		Atlanta Public Schools
		Gainesville
		Marietta
		Walton County
Thursday, August 06, 2015		Buford
		Fayette County
		Forsyth County
Friday, August 07, 2015		Coweta County
		Hall County
		Jackson County
Monday, August 10, 2015		DeKalb County
		Fulton County
		Gwinnett County

As everyone starts back to school, how are you adjusting or planning to adjust to the routine? After all, the start of school year affects all of us, whether we are students, parents, or neither.

• As a student: gone are the lazy days of summer, sleeping in and lounging by the pool. It’s back to the routine of getting up and getting to class.
• As a parent: Are you starting to get back in the groove of getting the kids up early? Are you ready to start making sure they have their homework done, their lunches packed, and any items they may need for their day? Have you looked at bus schedules and/or drop-off times? Have you and your children made afterschool care arrangements?
• Don’t have kids in school? This time of year still may affect you: Will your commutes get longer with the return of the school bus schedules? Will you find standard office supplies hard to get, as they were on the class supply lists?

The start of the school year may be a stressful time for all of us: student, parent, worker, and non-worker. But no fear, as the stress will fade and the routine will become habitual. How are you dealing with the stress of the impending start of the school year? Have you found an alternate route to work to avoid the busses? Are you planning to prepare the night before? We’d love to hear your solutions for easing back in to the routine!