Night before school checklist

When Rosie was little, we had a hard time making decisions. On school days, I could always count on us having to rush (or worse yet, argue) if we left all the planning up to the morning. So, we made sure that she made all her choices the night before. That way, every morning went smoothly.

This Night Before School Checklist is perfect for your grade school age child. It allows them to take control of their little world and gives you the peace of mind that there’s nothing left to chance in the morning. I’ve included all the areas where we struggled in grade school so if this school thing is new to you, there shouldn’t be any surprises.

• Finished homework.  This includes any paperwork that you may have to sign for school including permission slips. If you start good habits early, they’ll continue throughout the school years.
• Backpack packed. There’s nothing more terrifying than running around the house five minutes before school to find the missing worksheet. Getting it all organized the night before can really save time. Plus, if they need to bring anything special, you’re on it. 
• Breakfast choice. I learned pretty early on that my child wasn’t going to eat what I put in front of her forever. So, I gave her the option to tell me what she wanted the night before. There’s a spot on the sheet to fill it in. Check out our easy freezer breakfast burritos, one of our faves!
• Lunch options. Will you have to pack a lunch or will school lunch be fine? In grade school, we went through the lunch calendar and marked the days that Rosie would eat school lunch at the start of the month. That I always knew when it was my turn to make lunch. I always let her choose the night before what she’d like to have. That way, she felt like she was making a big girl decision and I’d be sure it would be eaten.
• Pick out clothes- If you have a girl, you’ll understand when I say that this was the most difficult task. Even now, we struggle with wardrobe choices. Choosing our clothes was mandatory in grade school and everything had to be laid out the night before- including the hair bow or headband. 

Want to use this checklist? You can grab the free printable here. Be sure to take it to Staples to have them laminate. That way you can re-use it. If you’re looking for a great deal on dry erase markers, Amazon has some great deals.