The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Why not organize a back to school party this year? Turning the first day of school into a festive occasion is a great way to start off the new school year on the right foot. You probably already know that eating breakfast is vital for energy and for increasing one's capacity to learn. Make your back-to-school breakfast a colourful affair. Set the table with fresh flowers and new placemats, and concoct a healthy breakfast that's a bit out of the ordinary. If your children aren't hungry, a smoothie and a small homemade fat-free muffin are easy to manage, even for small stomachs that are feeling queasy with stress. Before leaving home, be sure to take the traditional photograph at the front door. The idea may seem old-fashioned to you, but these annual photos will become great memories for the entire family. Create an album just for these back-to-school photos and in a few years' time you'll all have fun looking through it. When your children get home after their first day back at school, give them a surprise, a little reward to make them feel better after what can often be a stressful day. You don't need to spend a fortune to put smiles on their faces Ñ serving their favourite meal or taking everybody out to a restaurant is a great way to finish off the day. Above all, this is an occasion to spend time together as a family, a moment to support each other in making the peaceful transition from the quiet of the summer to the regular school year routine.
