Parents, the stuff is about to hit the fan. Let’s just hope that fan has a MERV-13 filter. Headlines pegged to the looming school year say, “We’re back to panicking.” And “Back to Abnormal.” It’s hardly the kind of vibe that puts you in the mood to buy binder clips and snazzy pencil cases. But—hear us out—that is exactly why you should. You, moms and dads, are the one thing standing between your students and a pandemic-induced typhoon of panic and despair. You must keep the new normal as normal as you possibly can. Let their anxieties about school swirl around friend drama, heavy workloads, tough teachers and the “wrong” jeans. You worry about quarantine and will-they-or-won’t-they hybrid schedules and variants—all while making masking and sanitizing second nature. Don’t lie to your kids, but don’t terrify them either. And, as you plan out those first few weeks, here are a few trending items that may make it all just a tiny bit easier.