HOW TO PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR BACK TO SCHOOL WITH OSHKOSH B’GOSH + GIVEAWAY

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of OshKosh B’gosh; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Never did I imagine the range of emotions that comes with sending your first baby off to school. Excitement, nervousness, and the feeling of unknowing are just a few that crept over me in the weeks leading up to the first day. Excitement for the shopping and buying new clothes and school supplies…yes, I love school/office supplies. But also so nervous about how she would react and handle the drop-off. She has spent the better part of the last 2 years at home with her little brother every day. While I know she craved having friends, I was fearing how she would handle being placed in a new environment without anyone she knew. All of the preparations that happened before her big day were all for her. We mentally and physically prepared her as much as we knew how and the rest was up to her.

How to Prepare Your Toddler for Preschool

Talk about it. The weeks leading up to the first day of school we talked ALOT about it. What we thought would happen, the new friends she would make, how to make friends, new toys to play with (this was her favorite part), and the logistics on how she would get to and from school.

Go shopping. Shopping for school clothes and supplies can be really exciting! We let her have a hand in it all in order to get her excited about it and minimize the fight in the mornings. She picked out her own backpack, new clothes, and snacks for her lunch bag. Tax Free weekend is a BIG school shopping weekend in Florida (most states have this too). We headed out to get her closet ready for back to school approved clothing and shoes. Oshkosh B’gosh has been a favorite of ours for all the special and every day moments. The versatility of each piece and special deals and sales make it a trusted go-to source. Speaking of deals, now through October 2, 2017 save an additional 20% off your purchases of $40+ with the coupon at the bottom of this post to use in-store or online promo code OKBG3352. Use the store locator to find one nearest you.

Our daughter is a girly-girl through and through. She feels her best in a dress. OshKosh has some ah-dorable dresses and kids fashion for little girls! Dresses can be practical for play and preschool wear with a couple simple adjustments. During the warmer months pair a dress with neutral color bike shorts underneath and a slip-on shoe or pair of Mary Janes. When the weather starts cooling down, throw a denim jacket over-top and knit leggings underneath for a stylish, play-friendly outfit.

Adjust schedules earlier. Summers can be really relaxed as far as schedules go. In order to minimize any stress in the mornings, set bedtimes and awake times a few weeks prior to school starting. We are big time schedule people because it works for our kids. They know what to expect and when to expect it. The couple weeks before school I made sure to enforce bedtime and really stick with a routine that will work for the school year too. The only slight adjustment was once school started we needed to pick out clothes and pack the lunch bag the night before which doesn’t take very long at all. If you watched my Instagram stories recently, I showed how we have her involved in every step. Allowing her to pick out her outfit (with guidance) eliminates tantrums in the morning. The same goes for her snack- I forgot the night before the 2nd day in and she came home with her untouched snack because it wasn’t what she wanted.

Our little ones grow up so fast! Talking to them about all the changes and getting them involved in the process helps promote confidence and independence! We want to help you and your little ones feel confident heading back to school too so we’ve teamed up with OshKosh B’gosh to giveaway a $50 gift card to one lucky winner! While you’re shopping online or in-store think about donating to OshKosh’s B’gosh Jeanius Campaign. This campaign was set up to donate clothing and school supplies to local communities in need. You can donate a new pair of jeans in-store or make a cash contribution in-store or online here. #BgoshJeanius