NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n
With Prince Archie<\/a>, 6, and Princess Lilibet<\/a>, 4, heading back to school, Meghan Markle<\/a> is sharing her favorite ways to make the transition smoother \u2014 and more meaningful.\n<\/p>\n The Duchess of Sussex, 44, just returned to Netflix with season 2 of With Love, Meghan<\/a>, where she cooks, crafts and collaborates with guests like Chrissy Teigen<\/a>, Tan France<\/a>, Jay Shetty<\/a>, Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s<\/a> and Samin Norsat. Now, she\u2019s channeling that same creativity into thoughtful tips for navigating the new school year.\n<\/p>\n Read on for Meghan\u2019s best advice to kick off back-to-school season, shared exclusively with PEOPLE.\n<\/p>\n Prince Harry, Prince Archie, Meghan Markle and Princess Lilibet at Disneyland.<\/p>\n Meghan Markle\u00a0\/Instagram<\/p>\n Never underestimate the value of a handwritten note <\/p>\n “Scribble something for your little one and tuck it in their lunchbox \u2014\u00a0a joke, a little poem, your own version of Mad Libs, or just a sentence telling your child what your favorite thing about them is or how much you love them. Who doesn\u2019t appreciate being thought of?” says Meghan, who previously worked<\/a> as a calligrapher before her starring role on Suits.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n “And that validation from a parent when they\u2019re going back into school may be just the boost your child needs, whether in pre-K or as a teen,” she continues. “If it\u2019s in your handwriting, even better. Just take one minute to do it; it can go such a long way!”\n<\/p>\n Meghan Markle in season 2 of “With Love, Meghan” on Netflix.<\/p>\n Jake Rosenberg\/Netflix<\/p>\n Backpack surprise\u00a0 <\/p>\n “Nestle a sweet something (not suggesting candy) into their backpack on the first Friday back to school,” the Duchess of Sussex suggests. “The first week can have a lot of big feelings, and a little nod to let them know you see them is so special. Try a tiny pack of stickers, a funny photo of your family, or an unexpected surprise like something you used to find in a Cracker Jack box.”\n<\/p>\n “It doesn\u2019t have to cost much at all, just a little trinket to celebrate the first week, tucked in as a surprise,” she says. “Love is in the details.”<\/p>\n Lunchboxes\u00a0 <\/p>\n “If your kids are like mine, they love ‘breakfast for dinner,’ just as I did when I was young,” Meghan says about one of her go-tos<\/a> for Archie and Lilibet.\u00a0“Swap out a sandwich for waffles or pancakes (you can use the frozen ones), a mini packet or scoop of jam, some bacon, and hard-boiled eggs with salt. “You can have fun with this and decorate the lunchboxes in unique ways every day, but if there\u2019s no time, just the novelty of breakfast for lunch can sometimes be a welcome win!”\n<\/p>\n The Duchess of Sussex adds, “And when in doubt, a few flower sprinkles<\/a> are fun too!” she adds, referencing one of her signature products from her lifestyle brand, As ever<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meghan Markle and Tan France in season 2 of “With Love, Meghan” on Netflix.<\/p>\n Jake Rosenberg\/Netflix<\/p>\n Rose and thorn <\/p>\n “It\u2019s a classic, but sometimes we forget about this easy prompt. Taking the time at the end of the day to connect as a family and talk about your \u2018rose\u2019 and \u2018thorn\u2019 at dinner can be a wonderful way to bring everyone closer. You can even do this on the car ride home after the school day is over,” Meghan says.\n<\/p>\n “Your rose is a highlight of your day, and your thorn is something that maybe didn\u2019t feel so good or that hurt a little bit. Sharing both is a great opportunity to talk about your days together. It\u2019s also better than the one-word answer you can get if you just ask, ‘How was your day?’ (Though, truth be told, our children have now started saying, ‘My day was just a blast!’ and that makes us smile to no end!),” the Duchess of Sussex explains.\n<\/p>\n (Left) Meghan Markle and Princess Lilibet; (Right) Prince Archie.<\/p>\n Meghan, Duchess of Sussex\/Instagram<\/p>\n Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter<\/a> to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!\u00a0<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n Meghan, who recently shared behind-the-scenes photos of Archie and Lilibet visiting her on the set<\/a> of her Netflix series, previously told PEOPLE<\/a> about her “nightcap recaps” with her husband, Prince Harry<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n