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Nine tips for parents to beat back-to-school stress
Another summer is ending. It’s hard to believe how fast it went by. I hope you’ve enjoyed time with your family and friends and found time to relax.
I love having my kids around the house during the summer. While the extra help with chores is appreciated, I like the fact that there are no chaotic schedules to follow.
Unfortunately, back-to-school time means chaotic schedules, congestion on roadways, and added stress. Depending on your children’s ages and their involvement in extracurricular activities, the chaos might have already begun.
We often hear about tips for helping our kids manage back-to-school stress, but what about us?
Many parents of school-aged children have their own worries and insecurities about school starting such as:
Will my children have good teachers?
Will they know anybody in their classes?
Who will they eat lunch with?
How much will school supplies cost?
Are my children’s schools safe?
Will my children make a sports team or will they get a leading part in the school play?
Will my children be able to handle their homework?
Will they excel academically?
Looking back on my high school years, the big insecurity for me was finding someone to sit with at lunch. So of course, it’s the first question I ask my high schooler.
There are some things that as a parent we just need to let go. It’s impossible to be in control of everything all the time. For other things, stress can be alleviated.
Here are some tips to help you beat back-to-school stress.
1. Map out your schedule now. If you haven’t already done so, start thinking about what your schedule will look like once school starts. Consider buying a calendar that the entire family can look at. If your family members are aware of the different schedules, this can alleviate some of the pressure you may be feeling. Continue to update the calendar as new activities or appointments are discovered.
2. Review paperwork and school website. If you’ve received paperwork from the school and it’s sitting in a pile on your kitchen counter, now’s the time to start reading through it. Also consider looking at your school’s website for useful information. Finding out on the first day of school that start or end times have changed will increase your stress level.
3. Reach out to your children’s teachers now. If you have contact information for your children’s teachers, consider sending them an email now. Asking questions before the school year starts can help you feel more prepared.
4. Develop a back up plan now. Think about different scenarios that may interrupt your normal school routines. What happens if an early morning meeting pops onto your schedule or if you’re delayed in traffic? Do you have neighbors or family members who can step in and lend a hand? Can you utilize the bus service? Can your child stay after school in an extended care program or homework center? Having a Plan B can help eliminate stress when something changes. You won’t be left scrambling trying to pick up the pieces.
5. Work as a team. As schedules get more hectic, divide up routine tasks with your spouse or significant other. This can reduce the workload and stress that maybe only one person is feeling. If you’re a single parent, ask for help from neighbors, friends, or family members. People are willing to help if you simply ask.
6. Prioritize back-to-school expenses. Buying school supplies and new clothes is exciting for the kids. But for us, it can be overwhelming because we pay the bill. And once school starts, it never fails, miscellaneous fees start to trickle in (e.g. field trips, yearbooks, etc.). Write down everything you think your students need with estimated costs and then prioritize. There may be something on the list that can wait.
7. Discuss rules and expectations. For a lot of kids, the end of summer can be a rude awakening. The days of staying up late and sleeping in are over. Also, the amount of time spent on social media or gaming will need to be reduced so that they can focus on homework. Before the school year starts, discuss what the new rules will be. Let them know that homework takes priority. Hopefully, setting expectations now will help with the transition into the new year and will alleviate future arguments.
8. Write it down. If you have questions you want to ask or things you want to do, write them down, rather than trying to store everything in your brain. This can reduce stress and free up brain power to concentrate on things that are more important.
9. Don’t be afraid to say no. Along with the start of school comes volunteering opportunities. Based on your children’s involvement in activities, volunteering may be mandatory (e.g. concession stand, uniform fitting, etc.), while other opportunities may not be mandatory. Volunteering is rewarding and has many benefits. However, it’s important to stay focused on your family’s needs.
Understand your tenant rights before renting an apartment
If you’re heading off to college or you’re a recent college graduate, renting an apartment is another step into the journey of adulthood. Renting an apartment allows you to have your own place without all the upkeep and expenses associated with owning a home. If the water heater ruptures, you can call the landlord. If the roof is damaged by a hailstorm, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to have it repaired or replaced.
If you’re at a different stage in life, you may be downsizing and renting an apartment until you find a smaller home that’s perfect for you. Whatever the case may be, the downside of renting is an unresponsive landlord. We’ve all heard horror stories about situations that aren’t handled appropriately. This can be very frustrating and stressful as a tenant. That’s why it’s important to understand tenant rights. Understanding your rights can help you navigate through a challenging situation.
While each state may have different tenant rights, there are some common ones you should be aware of. To learn more about your state’s tenant rights
1. Right to livable conditions. Again, one of the benefits of renting is that the landlord is responsible for maintaining the building and making sure it’s safe and up to code. As a tenant, you’re entitled to working utilities like heat, water, and electricity. In addition, working smoke detectors should be present and the apartment should be free of mold, bugs, and rodents. If your apartment becomes uninhabitable because something is wrong with the property and your landlord fails to fix the problem, you may be able to break your lease without facing penalties.
Please keep in mind, however, that you’re responsible for keeping the apartment clean, preventing damage from occurring, and respecting others.
2. Right to have repairs made in a timely manner. Before signing your lease, discuss with the landlord how repairs will be handled and in what time frame. Communication is key! Ask the landlord what their communication preference is. If they prefer phone calls, don’t send them an email. They may never check it. The urgency of the problem may dictate the method of communication and the response time.
It’s important to understand that landlords can’t enter your apartment anytime they’d like. Based on where you live, state law may dictate the amount of time you must be given before they can enter your apartment. Again, that’s why communication is so important. Both parties should know how to get in contact with one another.
Lastly, you can’t withhold rent payments to get a faster response to a problem. Rent must always be paid on time.
3. Right to receive an eviction notice. After signing a lease agreement, there are terms and conditions you must abide by. If you break them, you may be evicted by your landlord. The eviction, however, won’t happen spontaneously (i.e., your personal belongings won’t be out on the curb when you arrive home after work). There’s a process that must be followed. Your renter’s rights entitle you to the right to receive an eviction notice.
Once you receive the notice, you’re given time to rectify the situation. For example, if you have unpaid rent, you have time to pay the landlord. Or if you have animals in your apartment, and they’re not allowed, you would have time to find them a new home. If you fail to remedy the situation, your landlord can file an eviction proceeding which is processed in court. Depending on the outcome, you could be responsible for court costs.
4. Right to a returned security deposit. Many states have a statutory deadline in which your full security deposit must be returned to you after you move out. Normal wear and tear can’t be deducted from your security deposit. Normal wear and tear items include, but are not limited to:
Faded or worn carpets
Peeling or cracking of paint
Cracks in walls as a result of foundation settling
Dirty grout around tiles
Worn door handles
Money can be withheld, however, for damaged property as a result of your neglect or abuse. Damaged property reduces the value or usefulness and may include:
Significant holes in walls
Stains, burns, or holes in carpet
Broken doors or windows
Missing tiles
To prevent disputes from arising, conduct an inspection before moving in our out. Take pictures to serve as evidence if needed later.
Now that you understand your rights, here are some tips when you’re looking for a new apartment.
1. Inspect the apartment for safety. Make sure windows and doors have working locks. Also check for working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
2. Make sure apartment amenities are in good working order. Make sure the appliances are clean and function as designed. Test light switches and outlets. A buzzing or flickering light may be a sign of a potential problem. Lastly, flush toilets and turn on faucets to make sure the apartment has adequate water flow.
3. Listen for peace and quiet. A good night’s sleep is important. Listen for street noise. Can you hear traffic or people walking by? Can you hear other tenants? If the building lacks proper insulation between walls or floors, apartment living can be noisy.
4. Ask how they handle maintenance requests. Depending on the size of the apartment complex, they may have a property manager on site 24/7 that can help you when something goes wrong.
Fire safety tips to keep college students safe
Sending children off to college for their first year, is an exciting time for families. College allows kids the freedom to make their own decisions and allows them to pursue a career that they’re passionate about.
Numerous conversations are to be had regarding college life. A conversation that may get overlooked is one on fire safety. If students live in the dorms, the college residence hall staff or safety department will discuss fire safety and evacuation procedures with the them. But let’s face it, they’re excited about other things that college has to offer, not fire safety. What may seem like a dumb rule or policy to them could save their lives.
For students living in apartments or houses off campus, it’s their responsibility to understand fire safety. No one is going to be there to watch over them or make sure their living conditions are safe.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), from 2011 – 2015, U.S. fire departments were called to an estimated annual average of 4,100 on-campus structure fires. These fires occurred in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and other properties.
The peak months for dorm fires are September and October. The peak times for these fires are between 5:00pm and 9:00pm. Here are some of the causes of those fires.
Cooking equipment
Overloaded power strips
Candles
Space heaters
Smoking materials
Here are some things your students can do to prevent injury.
1. Understand all evacuation routes. Evacuating quickly is the key to survival. Have them review and become familiar with evacuation routes before an emergency. During a fire, one of their routes could be blocked. If this is the case, they’ll have to find another way out.
2. Be aware of the closest fire alarm. Should a fire start in their dorm or apartment, make sure they’re familiar with where the closest fire alarm is located. The quicker they pull the alarm, the better.
3. Don’t tamper with smoke detectors. Working smoke detectors are key in alerting of a fire and starting the evacuation process. If they disable a smoke alarm due to a problem, they should contact their college’s safety or maintenance department promptly.
4. Don’t block fire exit doors. In many college dorms and apartments space is limited. They should never block entrances/exits with bikes, boxes, or furniture. In an emergency, they won’t have much time to move items.
5. Report damaged fire equipment to the appropriate staff. Fire equipment may be damaged accidentally or by vandalism. If your students see damaged equipment, make sure they report it to resident hall staff or safety department.
6. Be familiar with how to use a fire extinguisher. While a student’s priority should be to evacuate the building, there may be a time that a fire extinguisher could be helpful. Trying to read the instructions during a fire isn’t a good idea.
7. Don’t be a practical joker. While pulling a fire alarm as a joke, may seem harmless, it can have serious consequences. When a real fire starts, students may not take it seriously.
Here are some things your college students can do to prevent starting a fire.
1. Keep an eye on small appliances. While most college students are enrolled in a meal plan, common appliances that can be kept in a dorm room include microwave, coffee maker, and toaster. When using these appliances, they should stay close by. Also, before rushing off to class, they should make sure they have turned it off or unplugged it. Don’t forget about the curling iron or hair straightener.
2. Use candles with extreme care. Candles are prohibited in most college dorm rooms. However, if they’re living off campus, candles can provide some amazing scents and a way to relax. However, they should never leave candles unattended or near clutter. Fires can start and spread very quickly.
3. Take it easy on power strips and surge protectors. With all of today’s devices, outlets are usually at a premium, so power strips and surge protectors come in handy. However, they should never connect multiple power strips together to increase the number of outlets available. In addition, they should never use power strips or surge protectors for high-power capacity items such as, space heaters, dehumidifiers, or other high capacity appliances. Have them plug those items directly into a wall outlet.
4. Keep decorations to a minimum. If you’ve been in a college dorm, you probably noticed that dorm room decorations can be elaborate. While it’s fun to furnish and decorate the new room, keeping things to a minimum is much safer. Share these suggestions with them when it’s time to decorate. Never hang things from a smoke detector or sprinkler. Avoid running extension cords in front of a doorway or under a rug. Don’t block a doorway or window with furniture.
5. Don’t smoke indoors. They should smoke outside or in designated smoking areas.
For a fire safety checklist for your student click here.
Insurance Coverage
Parents and students alike may be under the misconception that their current homeowners policy provides protection for their property that’s kept at school. This may not be the case. A homeowners policy may have different deductibles, limits, and eligibility requirements or it may exclude certain claims.