You could even call your favorite radio or TV station ahead of time and request that they play "Taps" at that time.

According to Commission's website: ‘In May 1996, idea of Moment was born when children touring Washington, D.C., were asked what Memorial Day meant. They responded, "That's day pools open!" ‘

Since then, Commission has been dedicated to making Americans aware of observing Moment.

To read more about it, go to: http://www.remember.gov/moment/about_event.cfm

3) Visit a military cemetary. You can pay tribute with time honored tradition of placing a small American flag, or flowers, on graves of our fallen soldiers. In 1952, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts began placing flags on 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetary and carry on tradition to this day. If you're an arts and crafts type of person, an inexpensive silk flower arrangement or 2, of red, white and blue can be created and laid on a brave service man or woman's grave.

In 1924, VFW started their famous Buddy Poppy Program by selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. The tradition of selling red poppies to benefit our veterans goes back to early 1900's and was inspired by Moina Michael, who sold red poppies to honor those who died in our nation's service.

To read more about Buddy Program, go to: http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa

6.Nail up a notice board

Keep a notice board at "base camp" so that you can pin up reminders, invitations, school menus or whatever else you need to keep tabs on.

7.Do it now!

If anything comes home from school that requires your attention, do it immediately. Fill out forms and put them straight back into satchel. Write dates into your diary there and then, and reply same day too. If you postpone it, you will forget it!

8.Give homework a home

Establish a place and time for doing homework and stick to it. Keep dictionaries and other necessary books nearby, as well as a spare set of pencils, rulers and other stationery you might need. Make sure that homework is put back into satchels as soon as it is completed and that satchels are returned to "base camp" straightaway. Get out a kitchen timer if kids are reluctant to start (or finish!)

9.Be prepared

If your car is running short of petrol (gas), fill it up on way home from school in afternoon rather than panicking following morning! As you drive home, run a mental check on whether you have necessary supplies for dinner, and breakfast. Nothing makes kids more miserable in morning than an empty fridge.

10.Get ahead

Set your alarm to wake you up 10 minutes earlier than usual. You will be amazed at how much more in control that 10 minutes will make you feel. And finally, leave for school 5 minutes early. Arriving early takes away an enormous amount of stress and will put your children in right mood for school.

Are you convinced? Start initiating some routines in your school days and you and your kids will feel benefits very quickly. Making sure that your kids feel comfortable and in control before they get to school gives them best possible start to a school day. And once they get used to afternoon and evening routines for homework and preparation for day ahead, nighttimes become more peaceful too.

"We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." John Dryden

(c) Lindsay Small 2005

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