August is here and that means school will be back in session before you know it! If you’re the parent of a school age child, you’ll be spending the next few weeks tackling back-to-school sales, shopping lists for clothing and supplies, adjusting sleep schedules and lots more.

To help you get started, take a look at our list of back-to-school tips!

Sleep: Getting enough rest is essential, especially during the school year. Help your child get used to a back-to-school routine now and start transitioning to earlier bedtimes and wake up times as soon as possible.

Eat: Provide your child with healthy meals. Good nutrition goes a long way when it comes to helping your child perform at their best. Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for your student.

Vaccinate: Take your child to the doctor for a physical and needed immunizations before school starts. To schedule an appointment with the Oakland County Health Department, call Nurse-on-Call at 800-848-5533.

Prepare: Set up a special area at home where your child can do school work. Be sure the area is free of distractions like noise from the television, radio, video games and other electronic devices.

Communicate: Plan to attend your child’s curriculum night at school. Get to know your child’s teacher and learn how to keep track of your child’s progress and activities throughout the school year. Check your school’s website often and subscribe to receive e-mail newsletters and notifications.

Read: Spend 20 minutes each day reading with your child. This small amount of time will give you and your child quality time together, drastically improve your child’s reading ability and help foster their love for reading.

We hope this will be a wonderful school year for your child. Follow our tips to make the easiest possible transition for your student. You’ll be glad you did!