It's back to school season, and I for one and THRILLED! I'm not even going to deny being done shopping for school supplies. I've got those glue sticks labelled and those pencils sharpened. If I thought I could get away with it, I'd probably already have their lunches packed and sitting by the door. Summer is a magical, wonderful time that we get to spend with our kids, but sending them back on those buses is almost as magical, if you ask me.
As extensive as those lists are (do my kids really need 72 pencils between the three of them?! 19 glue sticks?!) I actually think they might be missing a few things, and I'm not just talking about wine for the teachers, thought that's probably not a bad idea, especially after the last couple of years. I'm talking more surface level than that - their skin, and what's on it!
If you've spent more than drop-off inside your kids' school, you've probably washed your hands, and if you've washed your hands in those tiny washrooms, you know that our tax dollars definitely aren't going towards high quality soap. Those drying suds are great at washing away germs and dirt, but they can leave our kids' hands feeling dry, cracked, and lacking anything good! In my kids' bags, I like to toss a Probiotic Hand Spray and Hand Balm, perfect for keeping their hands as healthy as can be, repairing damage and helping to protect from future damage as the year goes on. These are also a staple in my teacher appreciation gifts, because healthy hands are even more satisfying than finding the perfect coffee mug.
When I send my kids off to school, there's always a little anxiety. Will they make friends? Will they make good choices? Will they come home with lice? Lice. One of my biggest fears, and I think that's true for many of us! We've done the bug-pick twice now, and I'm just not that keen to do it again! Now, I make sure I'm washing my kids' hair with Tea Tree & Lavender Shampoo and Conditioners, and giving them all a good spray of the matching Leave-In Conditioner before they head out the door in the morning! Tea Tree Oil has been shown to help repel those creepy crawlies, and keep you from spending your precious evenings picking nits.
Back to School is a wonderful, magical time of year, as long as we're prepared! So pack those lunches, label everything in sight, and make sure you've got their bags loaded with everything they need to stay healthy, happy, and bug-free all year long!
Kelsey Kitt is a work-at-home-mom of three in northern Alberta. When she’s not chasing kids around, she is also an author, freelance copywriter, wine lover, and digital content creator. You can follow her and all her family’s adventures on Instagram at @mommydoesntlie.