One of the most important things to think about when transitioning into the new school year is what a school day will look like from start to finish. This includes everything that happens from the time your child wakes up in the morning to the time they go to bed. Below are some guidelines to help ease everyone back into the swing of a school routine.
Set Expectations and Rules
One of the first things parents can do to make a smooth transition into the school year is to decide what the school year routine is going to look like. What time will everyone need to be up in the morning to get ready for school, and how long will the morning routine take. Then it is best to set some expectations and rules. It is important to share these expectations with your children so that they know what to expect throughout the course of the routine. This means explaining to them what part they will play in the routine, and what part you will play if you will be able to help them with certain portions of the routine. Will they need to get themselves dressed, will they need to brush their teeth, and will they need to brush their hair? Start by telling them when you get up in the morning I need you to brush your teeth and hair, and get yourself dress by 7:30. Set time limit or time frames. Small steps like talking to them and walking through the routine together can be very helpful. So now we have a routine laid out and our children know what is expected of them on a school day.
Practice, practice, practice!
Beginning a few weeks before school starts, practice the routine that you have laid out. Sometimes as a parent it can be a bit challenging to get back into the swing of everything that is involved in getting everyone ready for the school day. So practice, practice and practice it again! It can be a fun way to start getting excited about the new school year. Make it a game, set a timer and see how quickly everyone can get up and be ready in the morning. Squeeze in a few more pool, park, or fun summer activities by saying if we practice our morning routine we can go do one of these fun activities today.
Whether you will be dropping your child off at school, they will be riding the bus, walking or riding their bike to school it is important to practice this as part of your routine as well. One of the more challenging things that many of us don’t tend to think about is saying goodbye. This is also something you can practice to make the transition back to school a bit easier. Especially with younger children who may be starting school or have been able to spend the majority of their time with parents all summer.
The last and most important way to help transition your child back into the school year is to get back into the bedtime routine. A few tips to help make this a bit easier is to set clear expectations to put all electronics away at a certain time. Creating a quiet and distraction free area for children can also be helpful, maybe their room could use a quick tidy before bedtime. Sleep is crucial for children. Making sure your child is well rested is part of what will help make everyone’s transition into the school year a bit easier.
On behalf of BCOTB, we wish you a wonderful start to the school year!