Summer goes fast at the end. One week you're relaxing, and the next there's a class schedule in your inbox and a supply list you haven't opened. The parents who feel calm in September usually aren't the ones who did the most over the break. They're the ones who set up a few important things early, before everything felt rushed.

Here's a simple checklist to help you do the same. It's set up as a countdown, so it works whether school is a month away or just a week away. Start from your teen's first day and count backwards.

First, a quick local note

Before anything else, check your board's start date, because it isn't the same for everyone this year. Most Ontario schools go back on Tuesday, September 8, the day after Labour Day. But some Ottawa-area boards, including the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic board, start a week earlier, on September 1. That's the difference between five weeks to get ready and only three. While you're on the board's website, it's also worth checking the graduation requirements if you have an older teen, so nothing surprises you later.

Three to four weeks out: start these early

Some things can't be done at the last minute. Start these while you still have time.

Fix the sleep schedule slowly. Teenagers naturally stay up later, and a whole summer makes it worse. By August, a lot of them are up past 1 a.m. and sleeping until noon. Teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night, so that first 7 a.m. alarm is hard. Don't try to fix it in one night. Move wake-up time about fifteen minutes earlier every couple of days for two weeks, and it's barely noticeable.

Talk about the year ahead. Not a lecture, just a real conversation. What went well last year, what didn't, and what they're worried about. Teens don't usually say when they're nervous about a subject, but they'll often tell you if you ask early, before school starts and it becomes a bigger deal.

Check they're on track to graduate. If you have an older teen, take ten minutes to make sure they have the credits and courses they need. A missing course found now is easy to fix. The same one found in their final year is a much bigger problem.

If last year had a weak spot, deal with it now. If your teen struggled in a subject that leads into this year's work, these quiet weeks are the best time to catch up. That might mean tutoring, some light summer study, or a plan to ask a teacher for help early. What you choose matters less than when. It's much easier to fix a weak spot before new material piles on top of it, especially if getting started is the hard part.

Two weeks out: supplies and a plan

Now the practical stuff, once schedules and supply lists are usually out.

Look at the schedule and find the hard subjects. When the timetable comes, don't just sort out the logistics. Find the one or two subjects your teen found hard last year and will build on this year. Knowing them now means you'll watch the right subjects in September, instead of being surprised by a low grade later.

Sort out supplies, tech, and phone rules. Along with the usual supplies, sort out the tech early. Does your teen need a device, or does the school give one? And set phone rules before school starts, because it's much easier than trying to fix it later. A good starting point most families can agree on: no phones during homework, and no phones in the bedroom at night.

Pick one way to stay organized. One planner or shared calendar where all the due dates go. The tool matters far less than picking one and using it from day one, before things pile up.

The last week: routines and check-ins

Do a practice run of the morning. Once, before school starts, wake up at the school-day time and leave the house on the real schedule. It shows you the problems, like a rushed morning or a missed bus, while they're still easy to fix.

Set up a weekly ten-minute check-in. This small habit does the most. At most schools, the first report card doesn't come until well into the term, so a rough start can go unnoticed for weeks. A quick weekly chat catches it early. And the best question isn't "did you do your homework?", which just gets a yes. It's "what are you working on this week, and what's due when?" That question shows you whether your teen actually knows.

Count backwards from your teen’s first day

One last thing: don't turn it into pressure

It's easy to read a list like this and turn September into a big project, with your teen as the assignment. Try not to. The point of getting ready is to make things easier, not to add pressure before the year even starts. Rest still matters. A teen who starts the year rested and organized will do better than one who starts already stressed. And if what you see looks like more than normal nerves, it helps to know how to spot the early signs of academic burnout before it takes hold.

Set things up, then step back. You don't need to get ready for everything. A few important things, done early, will do more than a long list rushed the night before. Once the routine settles in, the rest usually sorts itself out.

However your summer has gone, you don't have to figure all of this out on your own. If you'd like a hand working out where your teen stands before September, we're always happy to talk it through. Get in touch whenever you're ready.