Keeping It Cool As We Head Back To School

This is a sponsored post with Dollar General. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

This is the most uncertain that we’ve ever been as we head back to school. The one thing that we do know is that the kids will be learning virtually. But in order to set ourselves up for success with the year, we’re taking the proper time to prepare ourselves as a family as well as tap into our virtual village to make this year a success, while fun for the kids. With so much uncertainty, how do we prepare?

Well, the first stop I’ve made is to Dollar General to grab the things I know we’ll need. 

Must-Have Back to School Supplies from Dollar General

Mini is heading into the fifth grade—pardon me as I weep at how old she’s getting. Abc is a rising first grader and BC is getting into learning as well. While we don’t have a school supply list just yet, I’ve been rocking this school thing long enough to know that there are some essentials everyone needs whether you’re homeschooling, learning virtually or heading back to a traditional learning environment:

• Notebooks
• Folders
• Paper
• Scissors
• Glue sticks
• Liquid glue
• Pencils
• Coloring items

Our kids are going to be in a virtual learning environment but that doesn’t mean that we don’t need backpacks and lunch storage! Backpacks are really great for storing everyone’s items when they aren’t in use at home too. My kids infamously lose their items and somehow the drawers in their desks are overflowing with things. We’ll be using backpacks to keep track of all their everyday school items so they don’t lose them. 

Kids heading back to a traditional learning environment? Make sure that you grab safety items like masks (Dollar General sells both designer and basic), hand sanitizer, hand wipes, gloves and tissues. Not only do they have these items, but they have cleaning items like Microban to keep your families safe. 

Pre-Packing Lunches To Help Stay On Schedule

One of the things I learned from my homeschooling days was to prepack lunches in the mornings—just like we do during normal school. Why? Because it makes it easier to pause in the middle of the day to eat when you aren’t having to stop and stare at the fridge wondering what’s lunch will be. Not only that, but it helps your kids not eat ALL the snacks when they’ve already been packed up for each of them. 

One of the benefits to having the kids home in a virtual learning environment is that they can have all the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches their little bellies can take! It’s a favorite around here for both the kids and me. Dollar General has all the snacks and lunch fixings you need from healthy treats to baggies to store them in. 

Money Saving Tips At Dollar General

Listen. No one wants to break the bank as we prepare for back to school this year so I want to share a couple of coupon codes with you as well as some important money-saving dates with you all! One of the things that kids ALWAYS need heading back to school is stationary. Truth moment: I’m a stationary junkie. That’s why I’m so excited about the $5 off $15 stationary digital coupon. You can even save more when you shop on Saturdays with the $5 off $25 digital coupon. Make sure that you’ve downloaded the DG App so that you have access to these exclusive savings in there. But that’s not it! Teachers receive and additional savings as well! If you’re a teacher, you receive 20% off during checkout—you just need to show your school ID during checkout. 

Dollar General Is Dedicated To Safety

Going out now shopping can be a little nerve-wracking. But Dollar General is taking safety measures seriously. They’ve installed sneeze guards in all stores and have been enforcing the 6 feet of distance in between customers. While shopping, I saw that all the Dollar General employees wore masks as well. And some of the Dollar Generals even offer DG Pickup! 

So on a scale of 1-10, how ready for back to school are you?