Can you believe it's already mid-August?

Children will soon go back to school, which means that stressful days, busy schedules and lots of school-related commitments are just around the corner.

Preparation Can Lead to Relaxation

Here are a few relaxation tips that may help reduce your stress levels this upcoming school year:

• Talk to other parents and see if you can arrange to carpool for certain activities.
• Plan your lunches a week in advance and get your kids involved. Go shopping together and prepare lunches the evening before.
• If you give your children an allowance, be upfront about the family's financial situation. By letting them learn the value of money early on, you'll do them a huge favor and they will understand that essential expenses (rent, utilities, basic food, etc.) are more important than going out to eat, watching a movie with friends, etc.
• If you haven't done so already, prepare a list and go shopping for what your children will need this year (binders, pencils, notebooks, etc.) Get your kids involved and tell them you won't buy anything that isn't on the list.
• Same goes with shopping for clothes. Set strict rules about what you will allow your child to wear and how much you will spend. By agreeing with your child at home, you will avoid all sorts of stressful situations at the mall.
• If in doubt, ask for help! There is nothing wrong with asking your own parents to lend you a hand from time to time. You can also arrange to babysit a neighbor's kids while she goes shopping and you then trade roles.

School will start when it is due to start, whether you are ready or not. It's best to look at everything you need to do now, and schedule times when you will accomplish each task. Preparation truly leads to more relaxation!

Book of the Month

Don't forget to check out my two book-of-the-month recommendations for this month.

Remember to Relax