This year, my daughter is in grade one and is therefore required to bring a lunch to school. While we have every intention to respect boomerang lunch efforts that are being made at school, it becomes increasingly difficult to continue those efforts at home when your daughter never brings home her reusable containers and water bottles. No, wait. I digress. She does bring them home. Eventually.

One of the handiest tips I could offer a parent of a school-ager is to stock up on personalized labels and use them. On everything. I have gotten into the habit of sticking labels onto new items as soon as I get home, whether they are water bottles, school supplies, or clothing. You see, my daughter has a tendency to leave things at school since she needs to rush at the end of the day to catch her bus. But having all of her belongings labeled is reassuring since I know they will make their way home sooner or later.