Hi everyone, I’m Melanie! I handle Marketing for Penguin Patch Holiday Shop. I think we can all get behind anything that makes parenting easier, more fun, and lets us focus on what’s really worthwhile…so, let’s do this!
How to make Meet the Teacher easier on you – the parent!
Where the heck did summer go? Didn’t we just put lunch boxes way up on the top shelf, not to be touched again for months? We literally just put on our swimsuits to hit the pool and now stores are forcing us to accept the fact that are days are numbered. A friend shared this post on her social media and no truer words have ever been written….
“Fourth of July is over, which means you better start back-to-school shopping, which means the first day of school is around the corner, which means it’s time to think about Halloween costumes, which means Thanksgiving is upon us , which means ‘tis the season to get in the holiday spirit. So basically what I’m trying to say is Merry Christmas and Happy New!”
Ugh, the struggle is real people! No worries though, the team at Penguin Patch and myself have some great advice on how to survive the first step…Meet the Teacher. Meeting the teacher is actually such a fun event and it really can set the tone for the entire year. Most articles about this event describe how to make it easier on your child, but we are going to focus on the parents for a change! Lets start the year off right and simplify this school year. Read along for some really cleaver hacks and tricks to keep you focused and more importantly- SANE!
Drop off and pick-up
Know who and how you are going to do to drop-off and pick up for each day of the week. Your child’s teacher will need to know this information including any names of parents in the carpool, daycare centers, babysitters or family members. Have their cell phone numbers and addresses handy, so you can fill out forms faster and spend more time actually speaking with the teacher.
Volunteer Guru
Volunteer sign-up sheets will be everywhere. Get a jump on everyone else with preprinted labels with your contact information. Way faster than writing the same information over and over. Just print out labels with your name, phone number, email address and available times. The biggest time saver will be that you have already determined what is convenient for you and won’t have to struggle trying to sort through that in your head while you’re trying to navigate crowded hall ways.
Play Date Cards
Play date cards are awesome! You can purchase these online or simply make your own. It’s just like a business card, but for a playdate. It should have your name, your child’s name, phone number and email. Another great thing to add is what days you are available for a playdate. For example “playdates are perfect on Thursdays from 3-7pm and Saturday after 1pm. These are perfect to have on hand during meet the teacher night because you will be meeting new parents and visiting with old friends.
Food Allergy Plan
Now is the time to fill your child’s teacher in on all food allergies. In addition to telling the nurse, tell every teacher that comes into contact with your child. Provide an emergency plan document to the school with detailed information. Your pediatrician’s office will glad supply this document to you. It will include easy to understand instructions for identifying signs of an allergic reaction and what action should be taken if it occurs. Simply make copies and ask teachers to post it in a visible place to serve as a reminder.
Meet and GREET the Teacher
A small gift for the teacher never hurts either! Handmade gifts such as a drawing from your child combined with a coke and candy bar are simple, inexpensive and show your teacher that you support him/her and are ready to get the year started!
Do the prep work now and so you can really enjoy the event with your child!
Good luck, have fun and of course take lots of pictures!
