Does the start of the school year have you mourning summer, or are you jumping for joy? Before you break out the champagne, remember to squeeze in any last appointments, get the new backpacks, and label all the things! Oh, and a photo-op! Don’t forget the photo-op!

I don’t know if it’s the hot summer air, the kids running wild on the old-school play equipment, or the ridiculous amounts of yummy snacks we bring with us, but there is just something special about going to a drive-in movie. Not only is it a fun twist on family movie night, but for me…it’s full of nostalgia! It feels like a scene out of a feel-good 80’s movie. It just feels so relaxed, easy…carefree.

As we inch closer and closer to September and the start of a new school year, students may be starting to feel some anxiety about the academic challenges that lay ahead. I consider the first day of school as a kind of academic “new year’s day” – a new class, a new curriculum and very often, new educational challenges await. Whether your child is starting junior kindergarten, grade 5 or grade 9, the first day back to school can be daunting! A good way to ease some stress about starting a new school year is to set some academic goals or targets at home before they hit the classroom.

With summer break in full swing, many parents are searching for ideas to keep their children engaged until school resumes. Working in the education field, summer learning, engagement and enrichment is a topic I get asked about a lot.