Summer is nearing the end of the season, which means that many families are preparing for their children and teens to head back into school. The flurry of activity this time of year can be tough on parents, many of whom already have busy schedules and jobs on top of arranging things for their kids. Most families have both parents working outside the home, or a single head of household who works long and difficult hours. Both situations can result in families needing a little bit of a helping hand to manage daily activities and get back into the routine the summer break temporarily disrupted.

            Recent years have seen grandparents playing increasingly important roles in the lives of their grandchildren. Help with tasks that can be difficult for working parents to cover, such as car pools, ferrying kids to appointments and activities, and more have let older adults contribute in vital ways, and connect with the younger generation.

            Grandparents can lend a hand with preparing their grandchildren for the new school year in a number of ways. With the way kids grow year to year, the clothes from last year's school session may not fit anymore. Grandparents can help clear closets of the old, suddenly small clothes, and help the kids to organize the leftovers and decide what to do with the old clothes, such as donating them. And while it may not be especially appealing to teens and pre-teens, grandparents taking them on a trip to get new clothes can allow them a meaningful time to connect, learn each other's tastes, and enjoy a meal together.