Carylee Carrington schools DMV on easing into the classroom craze

WASHINGTON, D.C. (7News) — As counties around the DMV begin returning to school, Read With Carylee director Carylee Carrington and her two sons joined Good Morning Washington Tuesday to provide guidance for families easing into the back-to-school season.

"School is right around the corner, so it's good for parents to start preparing their kids two weeks before," Carrington said. "We've already started getting ready by adjusting our bedtime routines and our morning routines together."

Read With Carylee is a non-profit that advocates for diversity in children's literature and helps authors with the same mission expand their audience. The organization's website also includes a blog, show and a resource guide that provides back-to-school tips and book guidance for children.

Carrington encourages parents to get their children involved in the process of going back-to-school. She recommends bringing the kids school supplies shopping, so they can start thinking about the classroom.

"One thing that we like to do is get all of our school clothes for the week together on Sunday, so that they will have them ready," Carrington said. "This helps take a little out of the morning craziness and really helps you get them into a good routine."

The diversity advocate brought in two of her book suggestions for students going back to the classroom, including "First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg and "Everyone, Just Like Me" by Carrington.

"First Day Jitters has a really cool twist to it because not only children have first day jitters when they're going back to school," Carrington said. "And my book teaches children to be kind and embrace everyone's differences, which definitely helps ease kids back into the school year."

The philanthropic group hosts local events for families in the DMV to celebrate diversity in children's literature and bring awareness to the subject.

The nonprofit's upcoming event is the Children's Book Expo at The St. James in Springfield, Virginia September 28 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This event includes a pop-up bookstore, live story-times and meet-and-greets with local authors who have the mission to publish inclusive books.

The children's book author also published two other books, including "Pretty Hair" (2019) and "Maya Sings Country" (2022).

"Going back to school adds some stress, but I hope that my book shows children to really think outside the box and reduce that stress."

For more information on Read With Carylee and school tips, visit the organization's Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube or website here.