Maintain a structured learning time so children can keep up their focus and study habits.

Encourage children to read daily. Teach them the joy of really getting into a good book in the summer - Harry Potter has been the one for us!

Ensure the kids are getting plenty of exercise and fresh air - encourage them to be active and to limit sedentary activities. It is easy to let children spend a lot of extra time on the computer or watching television because they are on vacation. (In our home all the TV's mysteriously "break" for long parts of the summer vacatio. It is amazing how many fun things they can find to do outside when they are not being lured inside by the TV!).

Try to maintain regular bedtime routines for younger children. At the very least, try to get back into a regular bedtime routine by mid-August. The child will have approximately two weeks to get accustomed to going to bed and waking up well rested for school.

If you find that meals have ended up being later and later in the summer, try to have dinner at the same time they are during the school year. This will help you to achieve that earlier bedtime too!

Choose a backpack that is the appropriate size for your child. Rolling backpacks are much easier for young children to handle - but can also be difficult to pull during the winter months.

You might want to wait until October to do your clothes shopping when they are on sale. It's usually warm enough for your child to wear all or some outfits from their summer wardrobe in September.

Before going shopping with your children, discuss what types of clothing will and will not be allowed.

Check out the flyers for back to school supplies - they are always on sale.

Set ground rules before you take your child to shop for school supplies. Some children want everything they see - usually not things that they really need. Do they really need a new backpack and lunch bag every year or will the old one be fine? You can often use the supplies from last year. Just replenish them if necessary.

Right now, go into your work calendar and block off the morning of the first day of school (September 4th for most schools). The last thing you want is for someone to book an early morning meeting which will mean you miss being able to take your child to school!

Get organized. Make a list of all of the things that you and your child will need to do in preparation for the big day.

Make sure all childcare arrangements are organized well before school starts. Your child should know who will be picking them up after school. If your child is starting at a daycare for the first time, take them to the center for a visit so your child can meet the teachers as well as other children he may be walking to school with.

If your child will be going on a school bus, ensure you go over safety rules about being on a bus. Show your child where they will be picked up in the morning and write down your child's school bus number. Get the phone number of where you can call if your child is sick and will not be taking the bus.

If your child has special needs, take the time to review their last IEP before school starts to consider how their situation might have changed over the summer and what should be discussed with the new teacher.

Try not to leave anything for the last minute. Do as much of the prep work the night before to alleviate some of the stress on the first morning. You can select clothes, make their lunch, pack the backpack and get breakfast organized. There is nothing that can make you feel as stressed as bringing your child late to the first day of school, or being irritable with them trying to get them out the door!

Plan to meet up with a friend who will be in their class in the schoolyard ahead of time or even better, travel to school together.

Start to discuss expectations for the first day of school and the goals and objectives of the upcoming year with your child.
o Talk about your child's feelings and discuss any concerns they might be having.

Reassure your child that school is fun and that they will meet new friends and will be seeing their old friends.

If it is a new school they will be attending, take the child for a walk (or drive) to the school to do a test run of the route and to give them an idea of what to expect. Take a walk around the school grounds to get a feel for the environment.

If you are feeling anxious about your child starting school for the first time, don't allow your child to pick up on your feelings. Be positive!

Sit down and discuss the family rules with your children. For example - Is the television allowed on during the week? How much time can they spend on MSN, Facebook or MySpace? When will homework be done? How late are they allowed to be on the phone? What is the school night curfew?

Look forward to it! As much fun as summer is, admit it, it is nice when life gets back to normal and they are in school!

If possible, try to take your child to school or pick them up on the first day of school.

Although you may be feeling very emotional yourself (especially when they are young and cute), try to be brave and not overly sappy as you say goodbye. Kids get embarrassed easily in front of their peers (especially my 10 year old son, I had to stop kissing him in the school yard a long time ago).

Have a special evening with the kids to celebrate the first day of school and to listen to their stories! Make their favourite meal, do a fun family activity and make them feel that it is a very important day for all of you! It is!