The summer is quickly coming to an end. For many of us, this is excellent news. The end of summer will signal cooler temperatures. Some parents are counting down to the children returning to school, so they can stop wondering what activities to give them. Also, many children are excited to reconnect with friends and teachers. Conversely, there are a few things that we are dreading. We’ve got five things we are not looking forward to and tips on how to deal with them.

Back-to-school expenses add up.

Back-to-school shopping is expensive and can be time-consuming. Although most parents begin to shop early, there are usually a few hard-to-get items on the list. Plus, several school activities (clubs, extra lessons, trips, etc.) add to expenses. 

Tip: Create a budget and stick to it. Focus on needs instead of wants. If you haven’t started shopping, get your child involved by reviewing the list together. Remember, there are some things that you can get while school is in session.

September is a financially dry month for many.

September is considered a financially dry month. Back-to-school shopping has become increasingly expensive. Also, most parents may have spent money sending their children to summer school or on trips while at home. Many companies pay staff on the 25th of the month, and it can feel like a long time if you’ve overspent on back-to-school expenses.

Tip: Be prepared to sacrifice, like holding off on a few paid routines such as gym, eating out, or other self-pampering activities. If you’re desperate, it may help to ask for a salary advance.

Dealing with work and school traffic won’t be fun.

Travelling to work during the summer has been enjoyable. Some of us were able to sleep a bit longer during the week. At times, the road is almost empty since school is out. September, however, signals the return of terrible rush-hour traffic.

Tip: Mentally and physically prepare by doing the necessary chores on the weekend so you can ease into the week. Returning to the ‘school’ routine could help make it a little easier.

Early morning wakeups are back on the agenda.

For many of us, getting an extra hour of sleep in the morning has been blissful. However, with school back in session, it’s no longer a luxury we can afford. Preparing for school and beating traffic are back on the agenda. Sadly, this means earlier wakeups.

Tip: It may be helpful to re-establish sleep routines for everyone. By now, you should have started to cut back on some of the activities (staying up late to play games or watch TV) that your children have been enjoying over the summer.

It’s back to helping the kids with school projects.

Parents with children at the kindergarten and primary levels know this task well. Your child has an assignment, and you must help them. The problem is not usually with helping; it’s the time. After a busy workday, parents still have responsibilities like making dinner, laundry, or closing out some work-related issues to fulfil at home.

Tip: Remember to pace yourself. Ask about assignments early and create a timetable. Get your child to be more independent by allowing them to tell you how to solve problems. Facilitate instead of taking on the project.

The end of summer can still be fun once we prepare and follow through on our plans. We hope these tips will make things easier for you. If you enjoyed this article, we’ve got a few additional back-to-school tips to help you and your kids prepare for the new school year! 

Also, use Find Yello to search for bookstores, supermarkets, and related businesses that can make back-to-school shopping more manageable. Good luck!

Sources: Great Schools, Ministry of Finance, Teach Hub, and Scholastic.