Yellow buses are lumbering down the street, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and just-opened crayons permeates the air, and families everywhere are preparing for the scheduled routine of school days. 

It’s back to school time! 

This is a time full of mixed emotions. There’s excitement about the fresh start and a new year ahead. There’s nervousness for the unknown: new teachers, new buildings, new schools. There can be anxiety and happiness and sadness and worry. And sometimes, the start of the year is all of these things at any given moment, on any one day. 

That’s the beautiful thing about life, right? The growth that comes with transitions and change, constants in life. Sometimes this growth and change is easier than others, but it’s all normal and natural. 

Custom School Cookies

So, as you’re helping your students adjust to all the “new” stuff this time of year, be sure to offer them the security of home and their favorite sweet treats from Ashley’s Pastries. Our cases are stocked daily with yummy cookies, cupcakes, donuts and danish. Pick up some special Back to School cookies for a sweet surprise in your student’s lunchbox or pick up a loaf of freshly baked bread to go along with dinner after the first day of school. Nothing says I’m thinking of you quite like sharing a favorite treat from our bakery. 

Students aren’t the only ones adjusting and transitioning this time of year – so are teachers. We’re slowly, finally starting to return to the pre-pandemic “normal” (fingers crossed!), and teachers have worked long and hard over the last few years. They’ve been busy making lesson plans, preparing classrooms, and prepping materials for new students. What better way to recognize their hard work than with a treat from Ashley’s? We can customize orders with school colors and logos and prep a platter for easy pickup to share with all the staff. Just give us a call and let us know how we can help!

As your family adjusts to the new routine of the year – it can take a few weeks to find your rhythm and get into the groove – we thought we’d share a few tips to help make things a bit easier. Some of these are tried and true but it’s for good reason – they work! Hopefully they can make for more streamlined mornings and less stress for everyone overall. 

  1. Do what you can the night before. Set out outfits or school uniforms, and make sure any extra items, like sports uniforms or equipment, musical instruments, show-and-tell items, are all ready to go. Make sure any permission slips or papers requiring a parent’s signature are signed, and homework is completed. It’ll make mornings less frantic, especially if anyone oversleeps or something unexpected would pop up- as it often does!
  2. Set up designated spots for items. When everything has a place, it’s easy to pick up and put things away. Even little ones can get on board when they know where to put toys or shoes. Have a designated spot for backpacks, lunch boxes, important paperwork – it’ll make it easy to find things and will keep the house organized and tidy. If you have the space, consider installing hooks or cubbies for backpacks and other school items. Consider baskets, bins or filing folders for corralling important paperwork. Establish what works for your family, use the system, and you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for when you need it. 
  3. Write it down. Everyone has a gazillion things to juggle – work and school schedules, sports practices and games, band practice and performances, birthday parties, holidays, doctor and dentist appointments – you get the picture! To keep everyone up to date on what’s happening and when, write it down! This could be on a good old fashioned paper calendar, a whiteboard, synched on a Google calendar – whatever is your preferred method, figure it out and keep the calendars updated. This helps others know what’s going on in the immediate future, and in the weeks ahead. For older students, this is especially important for time management skills. 
  4. Stick to a bedtime routine. Sleep is so important for so many reasons. It’s vital for our bodies, and it’s crucial that we make it a priority in our busy schedules. Create a wind down routine for the whole family (even if it’s applied at different times because of different kids’ bedtimes) that includes shutting down screens and doing something quiet. Read a book, share a story about your day, pray together, write in a journal. Find what calms you down and prepares you for sleep and do it, consistently. Watch how solid, consistent sleep affects your overall health, energy and mood. 

We hope you’ll find these simple tips helpful – they’ve worked for us! – and we wish you and yours a great school year!