For most of us parents with school-age children, our window of summer is quickly diminishing as the first day of school is a week away!  

If you haven’t already (I sure haven’t), now would be a good time to begin transitioning your kid(s) back to their school schedule again.  Yes, this will be met with moaning and wailing and gnashing of teeth, but it will be so much better on the back end once school is underway…we promise.

austin-moms-blog-backto-school

1.  Start moving up bedtimes and moving back wake times NOW.  This can be done gradually over the course of a week, but remember, we’re down to the wire here people.  Start tonight by moving up their bedtime 15 minutes and then adjust incrementally as needed until they have a few nights of the “school year bedtime” established.  Most kids will naturally wake earlier, but if you’ve got one of those “sleep ’til noon” kids, an alarm clock will probably have to make an appearance.  Not adjusting sleep schedules can result in exhausted kids once school starts, which none of us want to hinder our child’s learning or functioning, right?  This is the hardest adjustment…be firm, stand your ground, and be deaf to the “but Mommy it’s still light outsiiiiiiiiiiiiiide” complaints.  Everyone will be happier come the first morning of school!

2.  Talk about homework and after-school routines with your children.  Designating a quiet homework spot ahead of time will get your kids already thinking of what their days will look like once school starts.  Getting them in that mindset helps it not be so jolting when schedules get crazy, as well as aids in their overall organization and performance.  Discuss expectations, homework schedules (are they going to have snack and a break before or after homework?), and calendar any after school activities that will be part of the school year routine.

3.  Walk them through a day-in-the-life of a typical school day.  This is especially helpful with younger children as it will help quell school jitters and any anxiety that may arise from the unknown.  Ideally, do this exercise AFTER back-to-school night so it’s easier to envision their teacher, classroom, where they place their belongings, etc.  Going over a typical day of school might also bring to light some questions or situations that may not have been previously thought of, such as transportation and lunches.

4.  Schedule a few end-of-summer playdates.  Getting re-acquainted with school friends can significantly help with the transition because so much of school is social for our little ones (and big ones too).  Knowing they already have a few friends once they get to school will make them happy to get back into the swing of things.

5.  End the summer with some memory making.  Whether this be in the form of a beginning of school (end of summer) tradition, a last minute vacay or fun excursion, camping out in the backyard, or something simple as a silly photoshoot…doing something special signifies and marks to them an end and a beginning.  Saying goodbye to summer, but HELLO to school!  Make some memories that will carry them throughout the school year or when maybe a rough patch comes along…they’ll treasure those times and have something to look forward to come next summer.

*A few other little tips we love include make-ahead breakfasts (think portion-sizes oatmeal like this one, setting out the first week of school outfits, and snuggle your kids as much as possible!!!

Let us know if you have any tried and true tips for transitioning your kiddos back to school…we’d love to hear them!

:: FUN POLL :: What Year Will Your Kid(s) Graduate From High School?

 

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