Going back to school is exciting, but it can also be stressful. Your family may have gotten into their summer routine, which involves sleeping later and being a bit more relaxed about schedules, etc. Here are some ways which may help you go back to school without all the stress and upset:
- Move bedtime up by half-hour increments
Do this every three days until you get to the bedtime you want to have when the kids are in school. It is so important for children (and grown-ups) to get the rest they need! By the time the first day of school rolls around, going to bed and getting up at the right time will feel normal. - Get into the habit now of laying out your clothes the night before.
This makes getting ready so much easier. Be sure to lay out everything, including undies, socks, and shoes. - Create a “landing and launching pad”
Ideally, this is somewhere close to the place you enter the house. This is the place you will unload when you come in the door and reload before you go out the next day. You will need a place for backpacks, outerwear, purses, keys, etc. You don’t have to dump everything by the front door, but you have to have a plan for how you will divest yourself of everything you bring in the door, and how you will pick up everything you need for the next day. Having a plan removes the frenzied hunt of finding things just as you are leaving. - Designate a place for homework.
This should not be in front of the TV. Keep necessary supplies handy. This could be something as simple as a pencil case with extra (sharpened) pencils, and a couple of erasers. You can add things if they become necessary. - Stock up on after-school snacks.
These should be really easy to eat and not involve a lot of preparation unless you are just in the mood to prepare something kind of special. Some ideas would be apples, cheese, nuts, GORP (good old raisins and peanuts), peanut butter, etc.
Have fun and remember — it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to work for your family.
