It’s August, and summer is coming to a close. Hopefully, you've collected plenty of golden hours and memories with your family during the summer months, but it's time to start preparing for back to school. I know this because the stores are already full of bins holding colorful pencil sharpeners, pencils, rulers, index cards, and the almighty boxes of crayons, and the ads on television are full of the cutest kids and their hot new school styles.

Preparing for the return to school after you and your spouse have split brings its own set of emotional struggles, but if you keep a few things in mind, it will ease the stress. Like any ritual, there’s a power to repetition. Create a new ritual with your kids, and have fun picking out folders, stickers, and a new lunch box. Some of you may even be picking out masks, and, if you are Southern, getting them monogrammed.

Budget

Come to an agreement with your ex about who buys what for the school year. Kids are expensive. They are tiny humans we must feed, clothe, and guide through life. Decide who will buy school supplies, clothes, socks, new backpacks, pay registration fees, and then stick to the plan. In most cases there will be a parent who can afford more. Try to balance this out. Be fair to one another because it’s not about you, it’s about your children. This isn’t just back to school, it’s also back to ballet, piano, tennis practice, or whatever extracurricular activity might apply to your children. Talk this budget through as well for the coming year.

Schedule

Decide now how to split up your child’s school schedule: who is picking up, who is dropping off, who runs the kids to dance or soccer, etc. Things have changed due to the pandemic, so keep timing in mind. This is a big job, and sometimes one parent does all of it because of work schedules and availability. Be fair, think of the kids, and try to split this important task up in the best way for all of you. Maybe dad works past the final school bell, but can grab a few minutes with the kids on some mornings. Do it. It’ll mean the world to the children.

Parents and Teachers

Please communicate with your teachers. Teachers have emails now, and even text with some parents (this is up to the teacher). Your child’s teacher can be a great ally. They can alert you when they think something might be wrong, they can lift up your whole day by sharing something wonderful about your kid, they can be an extra support when you or your child are struggling. If you communicate with the teacher, many times it opens up the pathways for them to be more communicative with you.

Yes, summer is winding down. Squeeze out as many moments from these last few weeks as possible! Remember: They’ll only be this age during this summer at this minute. Enjoy it.