Time-Saving Back-To-School Solutions

One of the biggest challenges parents and children face when getting ready for school is keeping track of personal belongings.

It's enough to make harried parents dread the return of the big yellow bus. To get their kids ready for the new school year, it's not enough that they have to find the perfect backpack, clothes and supplies-they also have to at least try to make sure all those new purchases don't get lost before winter vacation. "Let's face it-parents have less time today than ever before," says Amy Lipton, a mom, organizational consultant and CEO of Stuck on You. "One of the biggest challenges parents and children face when getting ready for school is keeping track of personal belongings." Lipton, who's worked with hundreds of schools and day-care centers across the country to develop her line of personalized labeling products for school-aged children, has heard the same issues from parents again and again. Four of her most popular products address what she's found to be the key concerns of parents of children heading back to class: Clothing Crises: To be sure that everyone knows which stuff belongs to your child, Stuck on You developed Clothing Tattoos-personalized, permanent iron-on transfers available in white, blue or pink. Great for identifying children's school clothing, especially uniforms that all look alike, the tattoos adhere directly to fabric so they don't irritate the skin. Allergen Alerts: For parents who have children with food or environmental allergies, each new school year brings challenges-and the best way to avoid a potentially fatal allergy attack is information. Allergy-Free Zone labels-"Nut-Free Zone," "Dairy-Free Zone" and "Egg-Free Zone"-alert caretakers to keep certain products away from allergen-sensitive little ones. Each is dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and special labels with health-related messages may be custom ordered. Lost Bags: Available in 18 designs in five different colors, Stuck On You's Bag Tags allow children to express their individuality while helping you spot your child's pack at a glance. Subject Confusion: Keeping track of your child's schoolwork makes everything from homework time to rounding up sick-day assignments easier. Bright and cheerful subject labels let parents peel and stick 16 different easily identifiable labels on notebooks, folders and binders.