12 Essential Products for Parents for This School Year

When late August and early September is nearing, most kids feel these anxiety butterflies in their stomach. And the same butterflies also visit their parents, since all the back and forth to school and the extracurricular activities can be seen in the horizon. But we never really focus on the parents and that is simply a mistake. That’s why we chose to compile 12 products that will make every custodian’s life a bit easier during the school year.

1. A lice treatment kit that includes a gel shampoo with the necessary applicator and a comb for nits. The applicator helps distribute the shampoo evenly all over the head, and the gel consistency helps it stay put without any drips.

The shampoo is clinically tested and 100% safe for the skin. It will kill the lice on anyone’s head and the comb will help you remove the little creatures from your scalp. The creators of the product are a lice clinic that has cured over 500,000 lice infestations.

Promising review:

• I was a little skeptical at first, but after a week of constant itching and weird movement feelings in my hair, and constant red dots on my scalp, I needed relief. I definitely was not disappointed. The comb did get the nits out. — Jackie

Buy this item on AMAZON here

2. A stain remover spray that can battle almost all of the common and less common stains. It is ideal to use not only on clothes, but also on carpets and couches. You just spray the affected area and let it sit for a while. Then, you will need to wash the area as you usually do.

The spray is water-based, and it doesn’t include anything harmful like chlorine, sulfates or perfumes. It can clean stains of coffee, grease, mud, ketchup and many, many more you might be dealing with on a regular basis.

Promising review:

• This product has saved my pillow from my daughter’s markers, saved my bed from me, and even lightened some stains on my carpet, which I didn’t get pics of. This stuff is definitely worth it! Spray, let sit for a min, and blot with a wet cloth. Love this stuff. — Summer Perry

Buy this item on AMAZON here

3. The pink stuff is the magical cleaning paste that can also be found in a spray bottle. It’s a multipurpose cleaner that can clean anything from kitchen counters to shoes. It’s mildly abrasive and is very easy to use. You just add the product on a damp cloth and start rubbing.

The product can last you for a long time and has a very pleasant, fruity smell. The same brand also has specified cleaners for the bathroom and the kitchen. The formula of the products has been tested, and it’s completely safe and non-toxic.

Promising review:

• I bought this for my glass top stove. Not only does my stove look new, there is also no grit feeling. I thought I would try it on my tennis shoes. Amazing product. — Angela Haley

Buy this item on AMAZON here

4. An insulated lunch box for your kids that keeps food at the right temperature for hours. It comes in 6 different designs, including corgi, shark, koala, monkey and lion. The interior insulation makes it very easy to clean in case of spills.

The exterior material is Oxford and fully waterproof. Apart from the main pocket where you can place the food, it also features extra pockets ideal for cutlery, ice packs and smaller snacks. Due to the waterproof design, it can also be used for picnics.

Promising review:

• I looked at so many lunch boxes and bags before choosing this one. I was a little hesitant because it has less customer reviews than others, but it turns out to be a great purchase. It keeps my daughter’s snacks cold throughout the school day. It’s not those small lunch bags that you are not able to put anything inside.
  The bag is insulated, so you don’t have to worry about the food going bad. It’s a very cute bag. I think I love the design even more than my daughter. Reminds me of my childhood. — Amanda

Buy this item on AMAZON here

5. A portable label maker machine that can be connected to all smartphones and help you organize your kid’s homework. It is connected through Bluetooth and can print anything from text and images to graphs, QR codes and Excel files.

The machine has installed 1000+ patterns, 30+ fonts and 100+ label tapes. You can choose if you want to print pre-cut or continuous labels. It is so small that you can even carry it in your pocket. You can choose what types of labels you want from a variety of colors and designs.

Promising review:

• I have a lot of boxes lying around that I don’t know what to do with, so I decided to try using this label maker to organize a bit better. The device itself feels sturdy, and light without feeling cheap. It comes with a roll of 80 labels, each of which appear to measure 12 mm x 40 mm.
  There’s a bit of setup involved — mainly just removing the stay-put tape from the label roll, then verifying that it gets fed through with the label-side to the left — but after that, it’s easy to get started with printing.
  The printer makes labels very quickly; it takes about three seconds per label. The labels tear off cleanly against the serrated edge of the printer. They peel and stick very easily, and they have a slight glossy finish. — BloominRuby

Buy this item on AMAZON here

6. A rotating art supplies organizer that can hold pencils, pens, crayons, scissors and many more. It can be rotated at 360^o for easy sharing of the supplies and consists of a central disk with 6 cups. The 6 cups are colorful while the disk in white.

This setting will help kids learn the importance of sharing, while it will make it easier for them and their parents to organize and put all their art supplies away. It will bring a fun school vibe in the house.

Promising review:

• This was what I needed. I was able to get rid of three plastic bins of pens, pencils and markers. Fits perfectly in the space for homeschool. Would definitely purchase again if needed. — Ibrey

Buy this item on AMAZON here

7. A daily clothing arrangement wardrobe so that kids will know exactly what they have to wear. It’s an activity kids can do along with their parents in order to keep themselves organized. It’s a hanging shelf you can place anywhere in your kid’s bedroom, since it is very lightweight.

Even though it looks very light, it can hold a lot of weight, which means that you can put a lot more than just a few clothes. The colored sections also make it a lot easier for kids and parents to tell each day apart.

Promising review:

• I have used these for quite a while and I love them, especially since my kids use school uniforms. These just make it a lot easier to organize them! I put their uniforms for the week in there and we’re good. Sturdy, neat, and looks great in the closet. The colors pop up real nice! — AC Gomez

Buy this item on AMAZON here

8. A sandwich cutter and sealer that makes meal prep a lot more fun. The sealers cut the bread in small enough sizes in order to fit in all lunch boxes. They come in circular, triangular and square shapes and can be used even by the children themselves.

The sealers have a hole in the middle, so it’s easy to remove the sandwich in case it gets stuck on the sides. Apart from being super practical, the sealers come with cards with printed puns on them to keep kids engaged and activated.

Promising review:

• There’s a little bit of a learning curve when making Uncrustables. Less is definitely more if you don’t want the filling erupting through the sandwich. A thin layer of peanut butter on both pieces of bread helps the jam or jelly from seeping through the bread.
  Also, if you use the rolling pin trick, roll from the middle of the bread out, this way the crust stays vertical so you can remove them. Don’t flatten the crust! Cut the dough exactly as you would when making a sandwich. Place roughly a tablespoon or less in the middle of the dough, add the top piece of dough and line up the edges.
  You may have to stretch the dough a little to make it line up. Then sandwich the dough together. Press the top of the pastry down a little to distribute the filling right up to the sealed edges. Egg wash the dough and dust with a sugar/cinnamon mixture. — K.King

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9. A microwave pasta cooker that makes it super easy to boil pasta with minimal hustle. You measure the pasta and the water inside the container and the microwave cooks it to the perfect al dente state. You can put any type of pasta you want, not just spaghetti.

You can even use the container to cook rice, vegetables, casseroles and soups. After you’ve finished with cooking, you can drain any excess water through the hole on the container. You can even add the rest of the ingredients inside the container and turn this into a one-pot experience.

Promising review:

• This thing is amazing! It cuts down on the number of dishes I have to use when making pasta, and it cuts down on prep time as well. It also works as a serving tray. We just add a little olive oil or butter, mix it up a bit to keep the pasta from getting sticky, and serve it right out of the container.
  The only thing I would add/change is I wish it had a separate, solid lid for storage in the refrigerator. The lid it comes with is for measuring and draining, but the holes make it to where it wouldn’t be good for keeping in the fridge. — Rick and Crystal Landavazo

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10. Very adhesive bandages that not only treat injuries but also make them look cute. The 48 bandages come inside a cute first aid kit and are made of fabric. They have a variety of sizes and they are all waterproof. They can stick so well that you might even forget you have them on.

They seal perfectly on all 4 sides for better protection against germs and dirt. The tin package helps you keep the bandages safe while you can reuse it after the bandages are finished.

Promising review:

• I’m really impressed, I bought some store brand band-aids, and I was constantly putting new ones on within hours of the original. For a test, I put one on my kid and accidentally forgot about it until over a day later when we went swimming. Since it wasn’t really on any cut, I left it on; in the end it was still really stuck to his skin. — Bridget

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11. A mushroom timer that can help you keep your child organized and focuses on their studying. You can set it for 45 minutes to study and 15 minutes for a break. The alarm sound is quite loud, so there is no way you’ll miss it.

This timer is fully mechanical, which means that it doesn’t need any charging or batteries. You just need to keep winding it. Its alarm sound lasts for 5 full seconds to make sure you won’t miss it.

Promising review:

• This cute timer is great for almost every room in my apartment. I use it for tasking and to focus. Yes, iPhones have this feature, but it’s nice not having to pick up your phone and move on to the next task. I use it for my daughter when I time how much time she is on her iPad, playing, reading... when time is up I blame the timer. — Kristina D.

Buy this item on AMAZON here

12. A detangling brush to take care of your kid’s messy and demanding hair. It can be effective on both wet and dry hair and comes in a variety of colors and designs. Its design doesn’t cause any pain to the head and it minimizes breakage.

The bristles of the brush are very flexible and that’s how they manage to gently brush even the most demanding of hair. The handle is very easy to hold and the quality is so good that the bristles won’t lose their shape.

Promising review:

• Been using the brush daily for 2 weeks. Hold the brush by the bulky end, not the pointy/narrow end that looks like it should be a handle. It’s curved in a way that you can control it better by holding the head of it. My daughter has several types of hair and I have always used a pick comb. I was always clipping out clumps of her hair.
  This brush makes quick work of tangles and my daughter has yet to tell me it hurts. She LOVES it. I’m not a tender hair-brusher, either, so if she says it doesn’t hurt then it doesn’t hurt. I never brush her hair dry. — AGDurham

Buy this item on AMAZON here

Going back to school can be a very stressful time not only for kids but also for parents, and we just want to make life a bit easier for all of you. Time isn’t always plenty and maybe these gadgets will be useful to you and your family.

Bright Side gets commissions for purchases made through the links in this post. Reviews may have been edited for length and clarity.