When students go back to school, it’s a big change for kids and parents alike. Everyone has a whole new routine, complete with new rules to follow and new kinds of responsibilities. To help ease everyone in your family into the school year, I asked some local teachers for their top five tips and tricks for back-to-school bliss:

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1. Get their supplies together. Visit your local school’s website or call the school’s front office to find out what supplies your kids will need on their first day. The school staff will be on campus at least one week before school starts, so feel free to contact them and make sure your kids are prepared for their first day back.

2. Set a new sleep schedule early. One week before school starts, set your children’s bedtimes earlier and wake them up at the same time they would need to be awake to get to school on time. This will ease their transition into the school year’s sleep routine, leaving them bright-eyed and ready to learn when that first bell of the day rings.

3. Take an informal tour. Since the campus will be open for teachers early, you can take your kids to visit the school before the first day. This is particularly important if your child is starting at a new school, or even if they are just transitioning from one part of the school to another. Show them where important landmarks are, including their classroom, the closest bathroom, the library and the front office. They might even get a chance to meet their teachers! This will help reduce their first day jitters.

4. Flex your power. Many parents don’t fully understand how much power they have over their children’s education. By simply talking to your child’s teachers and school administrators, you can make dramatic changes in their learning environment. If you think your child would thrive in a certain program or under another teacher’s care, don’t be afraid to speak up!

5. Talk to your kids. Sometime before the start of the school year, take a moment to check in with your kids and see how they are feeling. Approach them individually, asking, “Madeline, you are starting the third grade! How do you feel about that? What are you looking forward to this year? Is there anything you are scared or worried about?” Taking a few minutes to take their emotional pulse will help you prepare for any potential back-to-school stress over hurdles like making new friends or handling tougher classwork.

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As you all get back into the swing of things, keep in mind that teachers are your allies in helping to shape a nurturing learning environment for your children. Stay in contact with them to make sure that your little ones are still on track all school year long!

Life seems to go by faster the older you get. With more and more responsibilities piling up, how do you manage to stay organized? If you have kids, it’s even harder to keep track of everything. From grocery lists to figuring out who needs to go where and when, finding a way to keep organized is key to maintaining order in a chaotic modern life.

An email advertising a free family calendar called Cozi grabbed my attention for this sole purpose. Thinking of all Tiny Prints customers with so many things on their plates, I knew I needed to tell you all about it.

The calendar lets you assign details of appointments and events for every family member, and then syncs with Microsoft Outlook, which is great for those who use Outlook at work. You can also add things like shopping lists, gift lists and to-dos, which can be accessed by phone. The things I like most about the software is the ability to add photos to a collage screen saver and a journal that you can eventually share with friends and family. Cool, huh?