There’s no question that the transition from summer to the start of the school year can be a tumultuous time for parents and children. But it doesn’t have to be: With the right strategies, back-to-school season can be happy, healthy and stress-free. To make your life easier, we asked the experts for advice on how to prepare. Use their timeline to get your kids on the right schedule -- and in the right mindset -- for success all year long.

Back-to-school Preparation: One Month Before

A few weeks before the first day of school, take the kids back-to-school shopping. “Involve them in the process of picking out supplies and clothes,” says Candice Sasaki, a second grade teacher at Captain James Lawrence Elementary School in Burlington, N.J. “Showing your excitement will ultimately get your child excited about school, as well.”

If summer means later bedtimes in your home, now’s the time to gradually adjust to an earlier schedule. “For most ages, 8 p.m. is a good bedtime,” says Sasaki. “That allows your child to get enough sleep to be refreshed in the morning.” It also allows them to pay better attention in class: According to one recent study of preschoolers by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, those who had a consistent bedtime performed better at math, reading and language skills than those who didn’t.

To help your kids snooze more soundly, start winding down after dinner. Research published in the journal Sleep Medicine showed that kids who went to bed after 9 p.m., had a television in their room or consumed caffeine during the day took longer to nod off and got less sleep overall. So switch off electronics -- including computers, video games and television -- at least an hour before bed.

Back-to-school Preparation: Two Weeks Before

To prevent a meltdown the first week of school, it’s smart to get your child emotionally prepared for the classroom now. With young children, reinforcing positive behaviors -- like paying attention, having patience and following directions -- will help them understand the way they’re expected to act at school, says Dr. Robin Gurwitch, a professor of clinical psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“At the dinner table, for example, let them know how proud you are of them when they’re able to stay seated through the whole meal,” explains Gurwitch. “Remind them that their teacher will be proud of them when they use these behaviors at their desks, too.”

It’s also a good idea to start spending some more time reading with young children and encouraging older kids to do more reading on their own. For those who’ve never had homework, introduce a structured period of time in the afternoon or evening to work on activity books together. And if your child had a summer reading assignment, make sure he is caught up -- and won’t have to rush to finish at the last minute.

Back-to-school Preparation: One Week Before

Call your child’s school and ask if you can briefly meet the teacher and see the classroom. “I set up the classroom weeks in advance,” says Sasaki. “And I encourage parents to bring their little ones to visit me before the first day.” Knowing who their teacher will be can help them feel more comfortable and secure on the first day. Checking out the teacher’s web page, if there’s one available, can also give you an idea of what else you need to prepare.

For children entering middle school for the first time, says Gurwitch, two of the biggest sources of anxiety are having a locker and changing classes. If possible, take your child to school during this week to test out his locker, and walk through the building so he knows where to go on the first day.

If you daughter is entering kindergarten or elementary school, put together a care package for her to keep in her backpack, recommends Dr. Charles Smith, a professor emeritus of family studies at Kansas State University and author of Raising Courageous Kids. It can include a supportive note from you, an inexpensive trinket that can serve as a security blanket and a box of tissues in a fun back-to-school design.

“Having something sentimental they can hold onto may help a very nervous child get over the fear of leaving home,” says Smith. “And emphasizing the use of tissues when kids sneeze or cough is important for teaching them good hygiene and for reducing the spread of germs.”

Back-to-school Preparation: The Night Before

Encourage your children to pick out their outfits for the first few days. With your help, have them lay out their clothes the night before to make getting dressed easier in the morning. “You might give them a few different options, but letting them make at least part of the decision is important for giving them a sense of responsibility,” says Gurwitch.

If you’re packing a snack or a lunch, check that you have everything you need before going to bed. Then set a wake-up time that will allow the whole family to be ready without rushing.

Back-to-school Preparation: On the Big Day

Prepare a healthy breakfast, and encourage your kids to discuss their expectations and concerns about the day. Most children are excited and nervous about school, says Smith, so try not to indulge their negative emotions. “Use positive words when talking about their new adventure,” explains Smith. “Avoid saying, ‘Don’t be scared,’ because that introduces the notion that there’s something to be fearful of. Instead, tell them how much fun they’re going to have and how brave and strong they are.”

Most important, says Smith, don’t let your children know if you’re feeling anxious or nervous: If you’re high-strung or weepy when dropping them off, chances are they will be too. Instead, pack some tissues to have on hand if either of you start to cry. Take lots of photos, send them off with a smile and don’t hang around after saying goodbye. Know your child is in good hands and will have a great time making friends and learning new things.

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It’s the parent trap: so much to do, so little time. It takes a supermom to get everything done, from caring for the kids and conquering clutter to keeping the kitchen clean and putting dinner on the table.

“It’s so easy to get overwhelmed,” says Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife: Your Guide to a Clean-Enough House. “Your family’s health and well-being is important, but so is yours.”

Edelman and other cleaning and de-cluttering experts offer their simple, inexpensive strategies to help you multitask and take shortcuts on tedious chores. This way, you can spend less time with the vacuum cleaner and more quality time with your family.

Keep a Clean and Healthy Kitchen

1. Prevent a pileup. Clean after every meal, suggests Deb Lillard, author of Absolutely Organized: A Mom’s Guide to a No-Stress Schedule and Clutter-Free Home. Wipe tables and counters, put dishes into the dishwasher and sweep the floor. Keep disposable plates, flatware and cups for nights when you’re too worn out for dish duty.

2. Catch up while you wipe down. When you’re chatting on the phone with a friend, grab some disinfectant wipes and clean three key spots that people notice: the stovetop, the sink and the fridge door. Not only will this help your kitchen look neater, but can also help with cold prevention.

3. De-gunk your stovetop. Have your kids make a paste of 1 part baking soda to 3 parts water, then use a sponge to scrub off hardened bits of food around the burners, says Edelman.

4. Raid the fridge nightly. Every night before bed, look in your refrigerator. If something is going to spoil soon, move it to the front to remind yourself to eat it or toss it.

5. Zap microwave germs. Bring a cup of water to a boil in the microwave. The steam will loosen dried particles so they’re easy to wipe away.

Lighten the Laundry Load

1. Label laundry baskets. Give each family member a basket with his or her name on it. Dirty clothes have a place to go (besides the floor), and it’s easy for clean clothes to go back to their owner.

2. Play ball. When it’s time to sort, ask your kids to separate whites, darks and delicates into three different hampers by making “baskets,” says Edelman.

3. Make folding fun. Choose one TV show you love and only allow yourself to watch while folding clothes. Stack folded clothes directly into each family member’s basket.

4. Consolidate bedding. After you wash sheets, store sets inside unfolded pillowcases to make changing sheets a cinch (and minimize clutter in your linen closet).

5. Invest in help. Ask the kids to deliver baskets of clean clothes to the proper rooms. “For an incentive, I keep a piggy bank on top of the washing machine for any loose change I find in pockets,” says Edelman. The person who is most helpful will score a cash prize at the end of a laundry day.

Corral Kids’ Rooms

1. Get in the zone. Divide the room into zones: reading in one corner, arts and crafts in another, for example. This way, your little ones always know where to go for these activities and where to find and put away toys.

2. Buy bins. “Kids’ rooms are my biggest challenge,” admits Lillard. Label see-through storage containers (for toys, books, stuffed animals, dolls) and ask the kids to decorate them. Straightening up is faster when children can see where everything goes.

3. Control artwork overload. Give each child a desk with drawers for collecting paperwork and drawings. At the end of the school year, go through the drawers together and decide what to save in scrapbooks or memory boxes.

4. Chart progress. Make a pre-bedtime chore checklist to help children remember to put completed homework in their backpacks, pick up toys on the ground and put dirty clothes in the hamper.

5. Recycle old toys. Every few months, box up a third of your kids’ toys and store them in the closet. You’ll have less to organize, and old toys become interesting again when they reappear.

Even if you can incorporate only a few of these tricks, it will give you the opportunity to spend less time on what you don’t like and more time on what you do.

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It’s that time of year again: Summer’s coming to a close, which means that the first day of school is around the corner. Whether your children are starting at a new school or returning to their stomping grounds, heading back into the classroom can be stressful. To make things easier on your entire family, try these moves to ease back-to-school stress.

1. Hit the playground. Before school starts up again, take your little ones to the school’s playground and let them run around. It will help familiarize them with their soon-to-be surroundings; the unknown is scary for kids. If your kid is starting at a new school, it’s also a good idea to take a classroom tour with her.

2. Make a play date with a classmate. Check with the school, a teacher or your neighborhood association to find other kids who will be in your child’s class and schedule a meet-up. That way, they’ll both have at least one familiar face in the classroom.

3. Adjust sleep schedules. To make the transition easier for you and your kids, a few weeks before school’s start, try to wake your children up closer to the time they’ll need to rise to get to school -- and set their bedtimes accordingly. Your kids should ideally be on their new schedules the week leading up to their first day.

4. Stay positive. During drop-off, reassure your child he’ll be safe at school. Remind him that his teacher will take care of him until you come to get him. Make sure that he knows the pick-up plan -- and don’t be late! If he’s still having a tough time saying goodbye, resist the temptation to compare him to other kids (“Look, Matt’s doing just fine”). And to avoid adding more stress to the situation, don’t shed your own tears in front of him -- wait until you’re out of sight if you’re feeling choked up.

5. Pay attention to his complaints. It takes a child about two weeks to adjust to a new situation and for the back-to-school stress to lighten. So if her whines and complaints about school persist much longer, you may want to consider consulting a child psychologist.

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