The school year can be a mixed bag of emotions for you and your kids. On one hand, it may bring pride and joy to see your kids attending their classes. On the other hand, it may carry feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Whatever the case, it must be done.
If you’re one of those parents whose time it is to experience this phenomenon once again, these tips will hopefully help you make it a breeze.
1. Get Into A Schedule Gradually
Kids usually have easy and flexible schedules during their vacations. You want to avoid introducing an abrupt change of their daily itinerary, or else you could risk grumpy mornings and reluctance during the start of the school year.
Be proactive and ease your kids into the school program at least a week before they start school. One of the things you can do is to wake them up earlier day by day. This could help them readjust and gladly start the school year.
2. Meet The Teachers
Please plan to meet your children’s teacher and any other support staff at their school on the very first day. Ask as many questions as you can; their explanation and answers will be useful in your kids’ preparation to reacclimate themselves to studying.
They will not only help with easing your anxiety, but it could also create a good relationship with your kids’ school staff. You see, when your children see you talk to their teachers, they’re likely to relax, knowing they’re in safe hands.
3. Plan Healthy Meals
If your kids are like most, they probably occasionally eat and prefer fast-food and carry-outs most of the time. But that may need to change during the new term. It’s recommended that children eat healthy meals, which could help with their brain function. Sit-down family meals are also believed to help kids with their ability to organize thoughts, adjust their routines, and maintain concentration.
4. Set Up A Work Station
School’s not school without homework. You have to create a workstation in your home for your kids. You can place on in the kitchen or living room. You could fix up a corner in one of your rooms where you could put a desk and a chair. Make sure you provide all the supplies they need for their take-home assignments.
5. Have A Timetable
Help your kids come up with a planned routine by creating a timetable. There should be a clearly set time for every activity in the home. Schedule their time to eat, perform house chores, play games, finish homework, and sleep. Determining a time table for them can train them to be disciplined. Remember to ensure that your kids sleep well on time, so that they wake up fresh and ready for school every day.
6. Tour The School
Touring your children’s school on the first day could help them familiarize themselves with their new environment. It could also give you a sense of awareness and comfort, knowing they are in safe place.
Also, if there’s no school bus, try to do a mock school run–drive to and from the school and time yourself. This could help with your schedule, and it may make your kids comfortable and familiar with the route, which can help them in the future if ever they decide to walk.
7. Check Out The Curriculum
It’s always a good idea to get a sense of your children’s school curriculum. If you don’t know it yet, be sure to ask for it when you meet their teachers online or offline. Being aware of your kids’ curriculum can make it easy to assist them with their school work. It could also give you peace of mind to know what they’re up to at school.
8. Be Organized
Being organized is easy—all you have to do is make sure your children sleep, wake up, bathe, eat breakfast, and get to school on time—not really. It sounds difficult right now, but it can be done. Just consider the following, and you should be fine.
- Introduce night time showers instead of morning baths
- Lay out their clothes the night before school
- Set alarms to help wake you and them on time
- Make the breakfast ahead of time
- Plan the children’s meals at least a week in advance
- Have a plan B for your school run
In A Nutshell
Above all the anxiety and uncertainty, it’s undeniably a joyful moment when kids start school. There’s so much you could do for them to ensure that their transition from their relaxed home schedule to a potentially stressful school life will be smooth.
However, the most important thing is to be as organized as possible. If you plan well, everything else will fall into place. Have fun while you’re at it.