At-Home School Ramp Up

August 29, 2020 by Katie Wilson

95% of my thoughts lately have been about school and the education of our kids. If I am being honest, this has been at the forefront of my mind since last March as I know it has been for many families. We are very fortunate to have options this fall where many families do not. However, because we have options doesn’t mean that we haven’t agonized over them and will probably continue to do so for foreseeable future. These decisions are just hard for everyone involved and there are no easy answers.

In the spring we had two school aged children but now in the fall we have three which makes everything just a bit more stressful. It became very clear during e-learning in the spring that one of our kids were able to adapt better than the other and neither of them wanted their parents to be their teachers. As the school year starts next week we are going to send our kids to in-person school, for now ( I feel that most every decision sounds better with this after it because I know everything could change). We are bringing greater risk into our lives (which is scary) but have worked so hard to be cautious to get to this end point. Two of them will be in-person for a couple of hours every day while our oldest will be following a hybrid model of two days in-person and three days virtually. I am so grateful for our school and the community around it that has spent countless hours developing procedures to keep the staff and students safe. It’s going to be an adjustment but we are up for the challenge.

Despite all of our gratefulness there is still a lot of anxiety and a loss of a sense of control that washes over us daily about this decision. If you’re new here organizing and planning is often how I attempt to regain that sense of control. I know it’s really a false sense of control but it still makes me feel better! So with that being said, I am trying to mentally prepare myself for a time when all of our kids are back at home e-learning. Living in the Midwest with colder temps and a looming flu season I fully expect this to happen so I have been collecting loads of supplies (especially for our pre-schooler) to help prepare us for a time when the Wilson School for Wayward Children is fully back in session. Back in March I shared our Homeschool Cart so the new tools will be able to complement what we already had in the home. Read on for my TAKE on ramping up your school supplies at home!

Pre K + Kindergarten

1st Grade and Up

During the past six months there have also been a lot of great ideas shared across Instagram and my favorite accounts for ideas and encouragement are as follows: Days with Grey, ETST, The Workspace for Children, Busy Toddler and Jordan and Co. I love the idea of learning through creativity so aside from some flashcards that’s what we will be attempting to focus on this year. If you have found something that works well for your family, please share I’m always looking for new ideas!

Best of luck to all of you on this school year and stay healthy!

**Affiliate links are used in this post.

School Lunches + Plastic Reduction

August 21, 2019 by Katie Wilson

A new school year is around the corner as is packing lunches for not one but two kids this year! I always start out energetic and hopeful about packing lunches with nutritious value and by the end of the year I’m throwing in all the processed goods. I can’t promise that this year will be any different but I am making a more conscious effort to use less plastic and more recyclable and reusable goods. I had a few reusable lunch containers but doubled my collection this summer after taking the Plastic Pledge at work.

The Plastic Pledge Is National Geographic's multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic trash crisis. I started this effort along with many colleagues in July and I’ve completely eliminated my use of single-use plastics. This mostly boiled down to water bottles but straws and coffee cup lids also played a role. The challenge was a great intentional way to get me to make me more conscientious and it made me feel good about my choices.

I continue with the same habits at work today but am slowly incorporating them into my home starting with school lunches. This will mostly focus on the packaging of foods (i.e. reduce single packaged snacks) and ensuring that food is packed in reusable containers. Read on for my TAKE on all the reusable products perfect for school lunches!

Lunch Boxes

We have a variety of lunch boxes but the Skip Hop Zoo Kids insulated lunch box is my favorite. Sure, it comes in adorable designs but my favorite feature is really the interior pocket that is the perfect place to stash an ice pack or silverware.

Water Bottles

In many schools kids are allowed to have a water bottle in the classroom with them. It’s less disruptive that visiting a water fountain and keeps them hydrated throughout the day. Our favorite brands are CamelBak and Klean Kanteen as they come in kid appropriate sizes and easily fit into the mesh side pouch of our backpacks.

Thermos

I use these insulated food jars to send items like mac n cheese, pasta and soup with the kids to school. They love the designs and the spork that comes with the set but if you’re looking for something a little more grown up the brand DaCool has a well reviewed thermos with a folding spoon. Regardless, of what kind insulated container you use, if you’re trying to keep the food warm my number one tip is to heat it with boiling water (I use my tea kettle) for a minute or two before placing the food in the container. This keeps the food warmer longer just don’t forget to dump the water before adding the food!

Plastic Containers

Sistema Klip It food storage containers are my favorite for lunches. I have a variety of pieces but this design is my favorite. It’s multi use and is used almost daily! With the addition of George’s lunches this year I had to add to my collection. We commonly use this design for a half sandwich and fruit, cheese and crackers, or half a slice of banana bread and goldfish. If you’re into bento box style containers I’ve heard great things about Yumbox Lunch Box containers.

Reusable Bags

Aside from our lunch boxes I have to admit that I’m newer to using reusable snack or sandwich bags but this school year I’m trying the following: Bumkins reusable snack bags, Lunchskins recyclable paper sandwich bags and reusable Beeswax food storage wraps. This will take some education on the kids parts as to not throw in the trash but rather recycle or bring home…the one thing working in my favor here is that they’re not very good about throwing trash away, in the first place!

Straws

The banning of single use plastic straws is on the horizon and if paper straws aren’t your thing why not use reusable? I don’t mind paper straws but I don’t love how they become soggy after a little while so to combat this I’ve invested in a handful of options. If you’re drinking smoothies this glass set of straws by Hummingbird is well recommended but maybe not the best for school. For school lunches this reusable silicone straw works best!

Silverware

There isn’t always a need for silverware at school but I prefer to send some along with the kids if they have items like yogurt or pasta in their lunch. This eliminates the need for them to grab a single-use plastic spoon from the cafeteria. Re-Play is my favorite brand recycled silverware. While they may be geared towards toddlers they are completely appropriate for elementary children and bonus they’re made of recycled milk jugs!

While starting to make a bigger effort in the home, we’re also educating the kids to try and be more conscious of their choices and actions with the book, What A Waste: Trash, Recycling and Protecting our Planet. It’s eye opening and there are some facts and graphics that really capture the kids attention.

I hope these products help make your school lunch process run a little bit smoother and make it a little more eco-friendly!

Kate's Book Corner - Back to School Edit

August 15, 2018 by Katie Wilson

I have always loved fall and the back to school season. Back to school shopping may have been one of my favorite things as a child. Special outings with my grandmother for a new outfit and a pair of shoes and then a family trip for supplies at Target. I'm sure my mother secretly loathed the trips where I insisted on all new supplies and then spent hours organizing them in my backpack when I got home. I now get to do it with my two oldest which is extra special. Unfortunately, this time of year isn't pleasant for everyone so I thought I would share some books that we have read over the years to help us with the transition.

The nine books in my Back to School Edit are appropriate for kids aged 2-8 but enjoyable for kids (and adults) of all ages. School's First Day of School is beautifully illustrated and all about first day jitters from varying perspectives. Our daughter's is nicknamed Birdie so we love Birdie's First Day of School and I can't get over her mother's chic wardrobe. Goodbye Brings Hello is a new addition this year and it helps to teach children to accept various change in their life like a new school, a new home or a new sibling. Miss Nelson is Missing was one of my favorite books as a child. In fact, the entire collection is fabulous and if you don't know who Miss Viola Swamp is please add this book to your must-read list! A Bad Case of Stripes is a clever story about learning to be your authentic self which is an important lesson for the 1st grader in our home. If you're looking for a board book A Day At School has been a much loved book in our home for years. It's perfect for children in daycare or those starting preschool. flap books have been long standing favorites for years in our home. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade shares powerful message about how one person can make a difference and it's authored by one of our favorite children's singers Justin Roberts! We love to collect Berenstain Bear books and The Berenstain Bears' Go To School is all about sisters first time at school. Finally, our son is entering preschool this fall and we couldn't be more excited to we have been reading this preschool appropriate book on repeat, Maisy Goes to Preschool.

Happy Reading!

The Back to School Edit