School started yesterday. It got off to a good start. Everybody was there and back in time. The only possible hitch is that my 5th grader has piano directly after school, two minutes before he gets home. We're still trying to figure that out, but for yesterday, I picked him up in the car line, and brought him home in time for a quick snack before he walked to his lesson. Temporary solution. I'm a substitute teacher, and eventually, I won't be able to pick him up.

As for organization, the kids each have a hook in the entry hall. That's where their jackets and backpacks are hung. I'm working on a solution for all those forms that need to be signed. I think I'm going to purchase a thin strip of corkboard, and attach a folder-type system to it, clearly labeled with each child's names. It will be hung in the office. That way, the children have the responsibility of putting papers to be signed in the folder. I have the responsibility to check it.

So far, we've gotten off to a good start in the mornings. Emily's up and out the door before the rest of us are barely stirring. She fixes breakfast, and comes in for a clothing check.  We have our good bye lovins, double check the after school activities, and she's out the door. That's our cue to wake up, shower, and fix coffee.  This year, we'll even have a bit of alone time before the boys wake up.

The boys are taking responsibility for their own wake up calls. Their alarms are set for 7:15. This is a big change for Mikey, my sleepyhead. Yesterday he struggled, but this morning, he got up and out of bed very quickly.  They come downstairs, where we have breakfast. They then brush their teeth and head for teeth inspection before getting dressed for the day.  A few minutes for a cartoon and chat time, and we're out the door.

Here are some tips that we've incorporated into our routines:

1. Create a before and after school routine, and stick to it.
2. Lay out clothes the night before. INCLUDING shoes, socks, underwear. This way, they can dress themselves, even if they're still sleepy, and you know they match.
3. Have kid-friendly breakfast options. We have sausages to cook in the microwave, cereal, French toast sticks for the microwave or oven, pastries, toast with butter, cinnamon and sugar or peanut butter. Grab a banana or some grapes, and you're good to go.
4. My oldest son has a late lunch, so he eats a snack in class in the mornings. We have allergy friendly and kid friendly choices for him, including rice cakes, bananas, and cheese crackers. He's in braces now, so no apples for the time being.
5. Set a routine and stick to it. We have the same morning routine, and benchmarks to make sure we're on time. For instance, clothes must be on the bodies by 8:10.  In the afternoons, you grab a snack, eat, then take your backpack to Mom to double check.  We take 15 minutes to unwind, then get any homework finished. It works well for us.
6. COLOR CODE your calendar. I do this on my Outlook, so I'm never caught by surprise. If something comes up while I'm away from home, I always say, "Let me check the schedule," then I immediately email myself a reminder from my Blackberry. I'm a techie nerd, so that works well for me.

I'd love to hear school day organization tips from you!