Not-so-typical back to school tips to prepare for the first day

West Palm Beach, Fla. - BACK TO SCHOOL RESOURCES, CLICK HERE:  bitly link: http://bit.ly/R8vbFD  

Brandy Lowe is sending her 5-year old daughter, Symphony, off to school next week. "We're reading books about kindergarten to get her prepared," said Lowe.

Mandy Repice's 7-year old son, Dominique, enters second grade in a few days. "You have to keep things organized in the summer so it's not such a shock when they go back to school," she said.

Every parent has goals of having their kids well rested and well prepared on day one.   Here are a few tips you may not have considered.  The first comes from Scholastic Books, and recommends helping your child write a letter or draw a picture of give to the teacher on the first day as a personal student introduction. 

Lowe, an elementary school teacher, loves the idea.  "I think that's a great way to help a teacher get to know your child," she said.  "Being a teacher, it's what I'd love people to do for me."

Another tip from Scholastic.com says that parents may want to allow their kids to bend the rules before the child is forced to follow them - a sleepover or an afternoon in pajamas, perhaps - to let the last bit of summer energy out of the system.  Both Lowe and Repice say they would sidestep that tip.  "I think kids are already doing what they want," said Lowe.

"Not in my house. Bedtime is 8 o'clock sharp," said Repice.

Family blogger Laura Smith offered this final not-so-typical back to school tip:  Avoid bombarding your children with questions about the first day of school as soon as it is over.  "Go home and play for a while and then around dinner time you can always question them about their day," said Lowe.  Time to decompress can work wonders on a little stress, say the experts.

Martin County public schools started on Wednesday.  Public school students in Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties begin class on Monday, August 20.