Three Tips to Prepare for Back to School
Posted: May 17, 2019
By Master Christopher Rappold
Though you may find yourself still basking in the sun of the summer, we all know that right around the corner is back to school. As with any transition, it can be challenging if not approached correctly. With this in mind, here are three tips to help get you ready for the school year to come.
Tip #1 Get your Children’s Sleep Back on Track
To make this as painless as possible, I would recommend starting this gradually, about two weeks from the start of school. Pull the time to bed back maybe as little as 30 minutes per day to get them accustomed to going to bed earlier. At the same time, start to have a wake up time so they are breaking the cycle of sleeping late. If your child is of age, have them set their own alarm so they learn the routine. Learning what your body needs for rest is important at any age. If it is too difficult to wake up at the prescribed time you know the answer means an earlier bedtime.
Tip #2 Establish the Morning Routine
Wake up time is part of it, but also brushing teeth, washing up, getting dressed and being seated at the kitchen table for breakfast is important too. Every child or teen requires a certain amount of time. Start to practice two weeks before school so you can get a handle a comfortable pace for each child. A great consideration as well while you are focused on the morning routine is to talk through what is for breakfast. Too much time can be wasted if a menu of healthy options your children enjoy is not prepared in advance. For some older children maybe this is the year the baton is passed and it is now their turn to make the breakfast. Two weeks prior to school is a perfect time to make sure this can be done without burning down the house.
Tip #3 A Centralized Sanity Calendar
If your life is busy like most, there are a lot of moving parts; wake up times, parent / teacher conferences, play dates, karate lessons, sports activities, etc. Taking the time to create a visual calendar that parents and children can all see will save countless hours and mental stress of trying to keep it all straight. The kitchen is a great centralized spot to keep it in view for everyone. Take the time to start two weeks before filling in what you already know so that you can ensure all of the priorities important to your family are done.
I hope this helps. Here’s to a great school year!
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