Back to school

Back-to-School Readiness: Family Emergency Plans That Actually Work

August brings new schedules, new teachers, and the need for a plan that follows your kids from home to school and back again. Keep it simple and write it down. Agree on who picks up whom if phones are down, where to meet if a bus can’t run, and which neighbor is your safe fallback. Put the plan on a single page with names, numbers, and addresses and hand a copy to everyone who needs it.

Equip kids without weighing them down. A small backpack can carry a whistle, a mini flashlight, a water bottle, a snack, and a paper contact card tucked into a zip pocket. For older students, add a phone power bank and a spare charging cable. Practice the plan once, and it becomes muscle memory when a storm or a traffic snarl throws a curveball.

Schools do their part, but clarity at home keeps stress low. A predictable pickup point, a familiar neighbor’s front porch, and a shared understanding of “what if” turn a messy day into a minor delay.

Back‑to‑school preparedness is really family logistics with a safety net. Build it now, and September will run smoother for everyone.