THE FIRST WORD
D Back to School is Calling You
on’t answer! It’s just too early. You’ve still got one foot
relaxing in the warm beach sand as you hear the surf
pounding and you breathe in the ocean air. But the other
foot knows it needs to shake off that sand and get the kids
ready for back-to-school mode …
August is such a confl icting month.

It’s sad as the dog days of summer start to slip away this month, but
there’s good news: In just one calendar-fl ip away, there will be less
exclamations of “I’m bored!” coming from your vacationed-out kids and
more of a steady, scheduled routine. To get you ready for this transition,
we packed our August issue with helpful back-to-school resources.

For back-to-school shopping, we asked local moms to share some
tips and tricks on cutting down shopping time and expenses on pg.

36. Plus, if you want your kids dressed to impress this school year
without breaking the bank, we included a list of some of the best local
children’s consignment shops.

For parents of children, especially of preschoolers who suffer food
allergies, the start of school can be cause for concern. It’s easy to
control potential allergy issues at home, but less so once your little
one is in the classroom. Food allergy expert, Rachel Ornstein Packer
discusses what questions to ask your child’s school and how to create
a classroom food allergy management plan on pg. 10.

Finding the right school or after-school activities can be a chore. To
make it easier, check out our annual Back-to-School Guide on pg.

28. You will fi nd a variety of resources on schools, tutoring services,
after-school programs and more! But before you sign your kids up
for every college-application-worthy activity, be sure to read “The
Overscheduled Child: How Many After-School Activities are Too
Many?” on pg. 22. It can give you some insight and signs on whether
or not your child is overbooked.

And for even more back-to-school tips and resources, go to
washingtonfamily.com. But don’t feel rushed! It’s still summer. Go on
a few more summer hiking trips, play tourist in D.C. or grab one of
the books on pg. 18 to keep your summer vacation vibe going a little
longer. And then, with both feet out of the sand, follow along with
Washington FAMILY as we get you and your family prepared for the
school year ahead!
Britni Petersen
Managing Editor
Washington FAMILY Magazine
bpetersen@midatlanticmedia.com washingtonFAMILY.com
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August 2018
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