There are guidelines now in place in many schools to discourage parents removing their children unnecessarily (apart from illness) during term-time – in some places for example, you even risk a daily fine for taking your child out of school without permission!

So it pays to be savvy about when your child is meant to be in school.

October Mid-Term: Monday 3oth October to Friday3rd November 2023 inclusive

Christmas Holidays: All schools from Friday 22nd December 2023, reopening Monday 8th January 2024.

February Mid-Term: Secondary schools close Monday 12th February to Friday 16th February 2024 inclusive (some may close on Wednesday 14th February if contingency days are needed). Primary schools close Thursday 15th February and Friday 16th February 2024 (may extend to 5 day break).

St Patrick’s Day: Friday 15th or Monday 18th March 2024

Easter Holidays: All schools will close on Friday 22nd March 2024, re-opening Monday 8th April 2024. (Some schools who need to make up contingency days, may remain open until Wednesday March 27th 2024)

May Bank Holiday: Monday 6th May 2024

June Bank Holiday: Monday 3rd June 2024

The Department of Education website has all the details.

Dates may vary by area.

Start of New School Year: Monday 4th September 2023

Autumn/October Mid-Term: Monday 16th October to Friday 27th October 2023 inclusive

Christmas Holidays: Monday 18th December 2023, reopening Monday 8th January 2024

Spring Half-Term/February Mid-Term: Monday 12th February to Friday 16th February 2024 inclusive

Spring/Easter Holidays: Monday 25th March to Friday 12th April 2024 inclusive

May Bank Holidays: Monday 6th May 2023 and Monday 27th May 2024

Summer Half-Term: Monday 27th May to Friday 31st May 2024 inclusive

End of School Year: Schools close Friday 5th July 2024

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Dates may vary by area.

Start of New School Year: Friday 1st September 2023

Autumn/October Half-Term: Monday 3oth October to Friday 3rd November 2023 inclusive

Christmas Holidays: Friday 22nd December 2023, reopening Monday 8th January 2024

Spring/February Half-Term: Monday 12th to Friday 16th February 2024

Easter Holidays: Monday 25th March to Friday 5th April 2024 inclusive

May Bank Holidays: Monday 6th & Monday 27th May 2024

Summer Half-Term: Monday 27th May to Friday 31st May 2024 inclusive

End of School Year: Schools close Friday 19th July 2024

Dates may vary by area.

Start of School Year: Tuesday 22nd August 2023

September Weekend: Friday 22nd and Monday 25th September 2023

October Mid-Term: Monday 16th October 2023  to Friday 27th October 2023 inclusive (October Week)

In-Service Day (all schools): Friday 17th November 2023

Christmas Holidays: Friday 22d December 2023 – Tuesday 5th January 2024 inclusive

February Mid-Term: Monday 12th February – Wednesday 14th February 2024 inclusive (Includes 2 x in-service days)

Spring/Easter Holidays: Monday 1st April – Friday 12th April 2024 inclusive

May Bank Holiday: Monday 6th May 20234

In-Service Day (all schools): Tuesday 7th May 2023

End of School Year: Schools close Friday 5th July 2024

Dates vary by state and school district, but broadly speaking term and holiday dates this year are:

Start of School Year: Wednesday 6th September 2023

Thanksgiving Break: Thursday 23rd November and Friday 24th November 2023

Winter Break: Monday 25th December 2023 to Monday 1st January 2024 inclusive

Spring Break: Monday 15th April to Friday 19th April 2023 inclusive

End of School Year: Schools close Friday 21st  June 2024

Find out about the current year and next year’s term dates for Australia’s state and territory government schools.

If you live in another country and would like us to add your school dates, contact us and we’ll be happy to add them!

First things first, pick a school bag that works for your child and the level they are at in school. Books are heavy and a well fitted school bag is important for posture and comfort.

Once you have the school bag sorted, decide on a lunch box and drinks bottle, bearing in mind what pocket space you have available.

I was always a last minute panic school bag packer! My Mum would nag me for weeks before I went back to school to get organised and now I find myself doing the same with my own children. I always seemed to manage to have my school books (thanks to my Mum), but beyond that it was a bit hit and miss!

So my advice would be that a few weeks in advance of returning to school, check you have all the school books on the booklist and get them packed into the school bag. Then you are ready to get onto the other essentials that are needed.

You can download this handy school bag essentials checklist to make back to school a little easier.

Stationery and Supplies:

1. Pens and pencils for writing
2. Colouring supplies
3. Pencil sharpener
4. Glue stick
5. Highlighters
6. Ruler
7. Eraser
8. Pencil Case
9. Folders for school notes
10. Notebooks and copybooks
11. Calculator
12. Homework journal

Hygiene Items:

1. Hand sanitiser
2. Tissues
3. Hairbrush/comb
4. Spare hair ties
5. Deodorant
6. Period products
7. Spare underwear
8. Sun cream

Clothing:

1. Rain gear
2. Gloves, hat, scarf, etc for cold weather
3. Sports wear for PE

Essentials:

1. Lunch box or lunch money
2. Water bottle
3. Medication (e.g. inhaler, epipen, etc)
4. Phone and charger
5. Money for transport
6. Emergency snack (just in case!)

Finally, be sure you have given up-to-date contact details to the school in case of an emergency.

Remember children pick up on our anxieties, so try and be relaxed about this new phase. Talk to them before they start and listen to and try to address any worries or concerns they may have. Also it is important to make time each day to have a chat about how their day went and you can fill them in on your day too.

Many secondary schools will assign your child a ‘buddy’ from an older class to help them get settled in. Remind them that everyone is in the same boat starting off, the school and the routine will be new to all the 1st year pupils regardless of whether they attended the feeder primary school or not.

Preparation is key to help your child with the transition from primary to secondary school. Try and have all the books from the book list on day one. And if your child’s school has a uniform, be sure they have everything they need for the first day too. They will be more relaxed knowing they are all prepared and ready to go.

Label everything! I am talking from experience, they will lose at least one item of their uniform each term or end up with someone else’s jumper/lunchbox/jacket/text book etc.

My other top tip when it comes to the uniform is to double up on the pants/skirt/jumper/t-shirts/socks if you can afford to. If items go missing or get damaged, it can be difficult to get replacements during the year. When my girls were still growing, I bought the next size up as my double up extras. That way, if I didn’t need them during that year, I had them ready for the next year.

A good sleep routine is vital for your child to be alert and actively learning each day. The school day is a big step up from what they are used to, not to mention the time needed for homework and study, including at the weekends.

They need some downtime to unwind before bed. Whether they enjoy reading, having a bath or watching a favourite TV program, they need to take the time to relax so they can get to sleep quickly. Children and teens of this age need at least 8-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Needless to say, devices should be off for at least 30 minutes (and ideally an hour) before they intend to sleep.

A good breakfast will provide them with the energy they need to face the day ahead. Low sugar, wholegrains, fruit and protein-packed breakfasts are best.

Lunch will also be different in secondary school. Your child may have access to a canteen and they will often be allowed to leave school during their lunch break giving them access to other shops or cafés where they can buy lunch.

For those that want to bring their lunch to school, a good lunch box and water bottle are essential. And check out these flasks which will keep soup, pasta or other healthy meals warm until lunch break.

If they go straight to study, pack a snack to have between school finishing and study beginning. And once they get home, sit together to eat so you can all catch up on how everyone’s day went.

The one thing I really wasn’t prepared for when my girls went into secondary school was the weight of their school bags. It is essential they get a sturdy bag that fits well and helps distribute the weight evenly.

If the school offers lockers, sign up for one. It will save them having to carry all their books to and from school each day. Remember to label each book. My girls usually pick a page within each book to write their name on. They use the same page number for all their books! That way if they go missing they can usually track them down.

Most children will receive homework in several subjects each night, so they will need to bring books home for this. A friend suggested that I buy a 2nd copy of some of the heavier text books, even a second hand copy, so they could have those at home and leave the other copy in school. We did it for a couple of subjects they regularly get homework in.

Another top tip is to place all the books and copies needed for a subject in a zipped wallet. That way they just reach into their locker or bag and they have everything together for that subject. Often there is not much time between going from one class to another, so being able to grab and go saves them searching around in bags and lockers for the relevant items.

For parents, the cost of the first year books can be daunting, but remember, in most cases those books will last until 3rd year and the booklist for 2nd and 3rd year is usually much reduced both in cost and items needed. Buy school books early to avail of discounts and to ensure stock as popular text books can be difficult to get as back to school time approaches.

Your child will need a dedicated place to study at home, preferably one without distractions! Stock up on stationery for school and home. From pens, pencils and highlighters to refill pads and notebooks, having everything at hand helps them get straight into work.

To make this space even better, get your child to help you design it by choosing a desk, chair and other items to personalise it.

Friends will play a much larger role in your teen’s life as they transition through secondary school and it can be a daunting prospect for them starting off, particularly if they aren’t attending secondary with their friends from primary. And although they may not realise it yet, the friends they make during this time will often be friends for life, so they need to choose wisely.

Every school has clubs, after school activities and groups that children can get involved in. They range from sports teams to debating, drama and much more. Encourage your child to sign up to some of these as it is a great way to meet like minded individuals and make new friends – and also a great opportunity to try something new that they may have an interest in.

The school website or app helps keep you up-to-date with school activities, holidays and other events. You can also view school policies, download forms for when your child may be absent, etc. Many schools also offer an online payment facility for things like insurance, school trips, etc.

In primary school the children would have received notes about days off and staff meetings well in advance, but that is not always the case in secondary school. Your child may know about upcoming staff meeting or days off or early finishes, but they don’t always remember to tell you! The school website or app is the place to go for all this information.

This is a new phase for all of you that will take a bit of time to get used to. From juggling deadlines and learning how to study to having more freedom and having to be more responsible and independent, there will be an adjustment period for you and your child.

Be sure they know that you are there to support them and hopefully it will all go smoothly.

Breaks are short so children often prioritise getting out to play with their friends over eating! Or maybe somebody commented on what your child had in their lunchbox and they no longer want to eat it. Or maybe they simply don’t like what is in there!

Rather than ranting over the waste, take the time to talk to your child to understand what the barriers are to eating their lunch and together come up with a lunchbox plan that works for everyone. 

Now you have established what might work for your child, consider handing over the responsibility to them for creating their own lunch. Handing over responsibility doesn’t mean letting them have whatever they want!

Have a store of foods that work for you that you know they like and let them choose what to take each day.

For a well balanced diet, ideally a school lunch should consist of dairy, fruit and vegetables, protein and carbohydrate. Along with water for hydration.

• Yogurt is the perfect option for dairy. The Glenisk Organic Kids range comes in 4 great flavours, are 100% natural, have no added sugar or bits and taste great! The new paper pots and sleeves are certified climate neutral by Climate Partner. The protective layer that keeps the yogurt pot leak-proof, food safe and ideal for lunchboxes, is made from Green PE, which comes from tree resin instead of fossil fuels.
• Vary the choice of fruit and vegetables and keep them to seasonal varieties where possible. The ideal portion is one medium sized piece of fruit or 2 small sized pieces, a small salad or chopped up or grated vegetables. During the winter months, you could include a vegetable soup.
• Protein can be added to sandwiches or come in the form of a dip. Include up to 75g cooked meat or a large egg, small tin of fish such as tuna, mackerel or salmon or a small pot of hummus.
• Carbohydrates should be wholemeal when possible. Vary the options so your child doesn’t get bored, Some ideas apart from bread for sandwiches are rolls, bagels, pitta pocket, wraps, breadsticks or crackers, pasta, rice or couscous.

There are literally hundreds of different lunchboxes to choose from. The most important thing for any child, is that they can easily open and close it without help.

After that, it can be good to get a box with compartments so when your child comes to eat lunch, the choice is not too overwhelming. Different foods can be placed into the compartments to make choosing what to have at small break or big lunch quick and simple.

Glenisk Organic Kids Yogurts are the ideal size for popping into lunchbox compartments and with 4 tasty flavours, your child can have a different one each day!

Keep portions kid sized. Something your child can easily pick up and get through quickly. Usually lunchtimes are about getting through the food as quickly as possible so they can play with friends.

If you are worried they aren’t eating enough, bulk up breakfast or their after school snack to compensate.

Glenisk Organic Kids Yogurts are also perfect for both breakfast and after school snacks, choose from strawberry, vanilla, apricot and banana, all 100% natural with no added sugar and kid sized too.

Keep lunchboxes exciting by regularly reviewing the choices you offer with your child. While many are happy to eat the same thing for months on end, trust me one of my girls took the same lunch almost every day last year, others want a change, my other lady totally loved a certain food until I had a stockpile of it and then she announced she didn’t like it anymore!

Remember lunch is only one meal of many and so long as they eat a small amount to sustain them between breakfast and an after school snack, they will be fine.

Packing a lunch box for your child for school or camp or other activities can be a bit of a chore after a while. You feel like you’re putting in the same thing over and over.

Of course if that’s all your child wants, that’s ok too, but if your child is up for a bit of variety or is complaining about having the same thing continuously then we’ve designed a special Build Your Own Lunchbox sheet that you can download and use for ideas.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Please note we haven’t included nuts on the list as most schools ask you not to include in case of children with allergies. We have also avoided sugary or unhealthy treats like biscuits, cookies, crisps etc.

(Now all you have to do is train your child to make their own lunch themselves!)

You might also find these Lunchbox resources useful:

We have put together a free ebook with 99 ideas for kids lunch boxes all from real parents.

Each recipe is tried-and-tested with kids and guaranteed to get thumbs up. They are all easy and quick to make as well.

DOWNLOAD our FREE “99 Lunch Box Tips and Recipes” and don’t be stuck for lunch box ideas (well at least for 99 days!).

Still in need of more ideas? We’ve got you covered!

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

There are guidelines now in place in many schools to discourage parents removing their children unnecessarily (apart from illness) during term-time – in some places for example, you even risk a daily fine for taking your child out of school without permission!

So it pays to be savvy about when your child is meant to be in school.

October Mid-Term: Monday 31st October to Friday 4th November 2022 inclusive

Christmas Holidays: All schools from Wednesday 21st December 2022, reopening Thursday 5th January 2023.

February Mid-Term: Secondary schools close Monday 13th February to Friday 17th February 2023 inclusive. Primary schools close Thursday 16th February and Friday 17th February 2023 (may extend to 5 day break).

St Patrick’s Day: Friday 17th March 2023

Easter Holidays: All schools will close on Friday 31st March 2023, re-opening Monday 17th April 2023.

May Bank Holiday: Monday 1st May 2023

June Bank Holiday: Monday 5th June 2023

The Department of Education website has all the details.

Dates may vary by area.

Start of New School Year: Thursday 1st September 2022

October Mid-Term: Monday 24th October to Friday 28th October 2022 inclusive

Christmas Holidays: Friday 23d December 2022, reopening Wednesday 4th January 2023

February Mid-Term: Monday 13th February to Friday 17th February 2023 inclusive

Easter Holidays: Monday 3rd April to Friday 14th April 2023 inclusive

May Bank Holiday: Monday 2nd May 2023

Summer Mid-Term: Monday 29th May to Friday 2nd June 2023 inclusive

End of School Year: Schools close Friday 21st July 2023

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Dates may vary by area.

Start of New School Year: Thursday 1st September 2022

October Mid-Term: Monday 31st October to Friday 4th November 2022 inclusive

Christmas Holidays: Wednesday 23rd December 2022, reopening Monday 9th January 2023

February Mid-Term: Monday 20th to Friday 24th February 2023

Easter Holidays: Monday 3rd to Friday 17th April 2023

May Bank Holiday: Monday 1st May 2023

Summer Mid-Term: Monday 29th May to Friday 2nd June 2023

End of School Year: Schools close Thursday 20th July 2023

Dates may vary by area.

Start of School Year: Wednesday 17th August 2022

September Weekend: Friday 23rd and Monday 26th September 2022

October Mid-Term: Friday 14th October 2022 (In-Service Day)
Monday 17th to Friday 21st October 2022 (October Week)

Christmas Holidays: Friday 23rd December 2022 – Tuesday 3rd January 2023

February Mid-Term: Monday 13th February – Tuesday 14th February 2023, Wednesday 15th February 2023 (In-service day)

Easter Holidays: Monday 3rd April – Friday 14th April 2023

May Bank Holiday: Monday 1st May 2023

In-Service Day (all schools): Thursday 25th May 2023

End of School Year: Schools close Friday 23 June 2023

Dates vary by state and school district, but broadly speaking term and holiday dates this year are:

Start of School Year: Tuesday 6th September 2022

Thanksgiving Break: Thursday 24th November and Friday 25th November 2022

Winter Break: Monday 19th December 2022 to Monday 2nd January 2023

Spring Break: Monday 27th March to Friday 31st March 2023

End of School Year: Schools close Friday 16th June 2023

Find out about the current year and next year’s term dates for Australia’s state and territory government schools.

If you live in another country and would like us to add your school dates, contact us and we’ll be happy to add them!

Mood swings can lead to frustration, imbalance and a lack of concentration. Often, these moods can be avoided by simply cutting out (or cutting down) sugar. Give them foods high in protein, whole grains and foods with natural sugar, such as chicken, eggs, oatmeal and fruit.

Start the day right with a healthy breakfast and make sure their lunchbox is filled with healthy, nourishing food too. Don’t forget some healthy after-school snacks too, as this if often when the sugary options are most requested.

More than just to help them focus, use food to boost your kids’ immune system – this is a fantastic way to keep your child healthy.

Foods rich in Omega-3 and fruit high in vitamin C; raw vegetables and legumes like barley are all power foods that will help to keep them from getting sick every other week.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Piano, ballet, football and all the other extracurricular activities are all opportunities for your kids to acquire new skills – but it’s important not to overload their schedule. At the end of the day, a kid needs to enjoy some free time, which brings us to the next point…

It’s perfectly fine for your kids to get bored. In fact, experts encourage unstructured time for kids because it teaches them to come up with creative ways to pass the time. Boredom gives children a chance to develop their imagination, to think and to daydream.

Looking after your child’s mental health and reducing the stresses of their busy life is an essential aspect of keeping your child healthy too – so make time for relaxing, for going on a walk, for cuddles and chats.

When they spend hours sitting down at school and more hours playing video games at home, inactive children can gain weight, they can feel more frustrated, nervous and stressed.

Investing in active toys that encourage them to move, such as a small trampoline, a hula hoop or a jump rope, will help your kids unwind and move in a fun way.

It can prove impossible to forbid them from using gadgets, but you can set time limits so that they don’t spend hours glued to a screen. Despite how entertaining and educational apps and games can be for children, too much screen time can lead to anxiety, problems with sleep and weight problems

Screen time undoubtedly has a whole range of benefits, but it is very easy for it to be unproductive and for the time to just fly by. Take a look at the pros and cons of screen time, as well as some great recommendations from Mom Loves Best:

Sometimes, worries about school, difficulty with their homework, or a fall out with a friend can stop them from thinking of anything else. Keeping their hands busy, through fun crafts or by helping you with easy chores, is a helpful way to keep their mind off the serious issues for a little while. Thus giving them a mental break.

Whether it’s siblings playing outside or two friends meeting in a park, playing and interacting in the real world, more than interacting through social media, is a must for many reasons.

Playing outside in nature will give your child a much needed mental break. Moreover, it’s a good way of meeting peers and having a laugh or venting out their insecurities, so that they will feel reassured that they have a support system outside of the family.

We all want our kids to excel academically, but giving priority to play, where our kids can rest, is essential to see them grow happy, healthy and enjoying their childhood.

Sleep can cure everything — mood swings, a headache and even help them forget an embarrassing memory that happened at school. Your kids will be more focused, happy and less likely to get sick when they get enough hours of sleep.

And if you’re unsure how many hours of sleep is needed each night to keep your child healthy, here’s how much sleep your kids should be having for their age.

Unlike some other combs on the market, the Nitty Gritty Comb has twisted prongs which help to catch the nits and ensure you get them off the hair. I really think combing is the way to go and many mums that swear by this particular comb.

To have the best chance of getting rid of all the nits and lice, use conditioner on dry or damp hair, and comb the conditioner through using the nitty gritty comb. Wipe it after each brush on a white tissue and wash the comb thoroughly with soap after use.

Nitty Gritty also have a range of natural remedies to prevent and get rid of lice and nits.

Quick acting, the Hedrin All in One shampoo was a popular choice. Parents and kids liked that there is no ‘chemical’ odour to this shampoo, and it does not contain any pesticides, which the lice could become immune to.

Tip: The trick with over the counter products is to only use them if you are sure there is an infestation, as overuse of these products is causing nits and lice to become immune to their effects.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

The Fairy Tales Goodbye Lice Survival Kit is also widely used. The kit comes with the nit terminator comb, a Lice Goodbye mousse to treat lice, and a spray to repel nits once hair has been treated. Best of all, it is totally natural.

Parents found NitWits Head Lice Treatment Spray easy and mess-free to use, particularly with younger children who found sitting still for intensive combing hard.

Other parents use tea tree conditioner, such as Dr Organic Tea Tree Conditioner, which contains tea tree oil and peppermint extracts.

Parents recommended leaving the conditioner in the hair as they have found that their children have avoided getting head lice altogether as a result.

Parents responded that this Lice Zapper electronic comb was a chemical-free choice for getting rid of head lice, however still found that it required a thorough combing and repeated treatments.

• Tea Tree Oil – When we asked our parent audience for their tips on getting rid of head lice, tea tree was one that came up over and over again. Many parents buy tea tree oil and dilute it with water to spray behind the ears as a prevention method.
• Aloe Vera and Jojoba – Mums told us that they use aloe vera and jojoba shampoo and conditioner on their kids and they have avoided head lice.
• Oil and Vinegar – As a natural remedy, one parent suggested coating infected hair with vinegar and leaving on for 20 minutes. Add olive oil and leave on for another 20 minutes and then comb to get rid of nits and lice. Afterwards wash thoroughly with your regular shampoo. You may need to do several washes to get the vinegar and oil solution out of the hair. The vinegar helps to dissolve the gummy solution that holds nits in place on the hair shaft.
• Mayonnaise – Another natural method is to coat the hair with mayonnaise, which contains both oil and vinegar. For it to work best, coat the hair with mayonnaise and cover with a shower cap or old swim cap. Leave in for at least an hour and overnight if possible. After removing the cap, comb through the hair and then wash well with your usual shampoo. The result will be shiny, healthy looking, nit-free hair. Repeat treatment after 3 weeks.

Patience and time spent combing hair seems to be the best method to get rid of head lice and keep them gone. Checking once a week and spending time combing hair with a nit comb and some conditioner does seem to work.

Also have a chat with your child about keeping their heads away from other children, keeping long hair tied up and not sharing hats, combs or brushes.