It’s coming! School is getting ready to be back in session again! Getting the kids ready to go back to school can sometimes be difficult!
Back to the mad morning rush: Pulling them out of bed after the gentle coaxing doesn’t work! Trying to shove something somewhat healthy into their mouth while also making sure they have their book bag and lunchbox! Just getting yourself ready while you try to get them ready too! Shew!
Just thinking about what’s coming has made me tired.
However, there are a few things I’ve found that help easing into the school year a little gentler for us!
How to Prepare Your Kids for Back to School
1) Start an Early Bedtime Routine
Start the bedtime routine prior to school starting. We usually start a week ahead of the start of school. We start that early bedtime routine and get used to going to sleep at the regular school night time. We also start waking earlier, rather than sleeping late. Getting the internal clocks adjusted helps a lot once school starts. It also helps establish a routine, and kids thrive in routine.
I highly suggest letting them use an alarm clock!! It makes them feel grown-up and gives them responsibility. My son has had one since 1st grade. If you use or plan to use an alarm clock, go ahead and start setting those so they get in the habit of setting them and turning them off and getting up. (We use this Lego Batman alarm clock.)
You are going to have to be consistent and firm. Trust me, they are going to whine that you are putting them in bed early while they want to enjoy the last of summer. Just stick with it.
2) Use Your Planner
Go ahead and organize your calendar with important dates! Usually, at the open house, they give you an academic calendar. Get your favorite planner, and start plugging in those dates. You don’t want a day of no school (you know those random teacher in-service days that never fall on a holiday) to sneak up on you before you can arrange a sitter or take your day off work.
3) Get School Supplies Early
Get those school supplies ordered now. Don’t wait until the day before school. I have done that, and you will walk into your local big-box superstore and see empty cardboard displays and no supplies. Trust me on this. Do this as SOON as you can get the supply list.
You can take it a step further to make your life easy, and just order them all on Amazon. School supply lists often give hints of how their school day will go, and what kind of work is ahead of them. For example, my son’s list has 4 different color binders. It coincides with his four core classes, and so he already knows the blue one is for science.
Also, before you order those supplies, look at what you have from the last year. My son already had his old pencil pouch and his scissors. There is no need to waste money on new school supplies that you already own.
(I just thought I’d add that Amazon has the most epic box of pencils ever.)
4) School Clothes Shopping
Shop for new school clothes. This is another “trust me, I’ve done this” moment. (Seriously, I am the queen of learning the hard way!) Nothing like a cold snap at the end of August to realize you never bought your child new jeans and the others you own are Capri-length! You don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe, but make sure you have some newer fall items for when the cold mornings sneak up on you.
Another Back to School Post: Quick Breakfasts for School Mornings
5) Get Into Scholastic Mode
Get their minds into school mode. I know you don’t want to start with the hassle of homework yet, but go ahead and start letting them gear their minds back up for school. You don’t have to do a morning’s worth of work, but get some review sheets of math problems and reading passages that will refresh them for where they left off.
Maybe worksheets aren’t your jam. You can still find some fun learning activities, such as reading groups at the local library or even going to a history or science museum. Just get that brain flipped back to the “on” switch. For your little ones, look into getting ABC Mouse. It’s a great program for ages 2-8. It helps your child learn science, reading, math, and art & colors. It’s also so much fun, they won’t even know they are learning! My son was gifted this for 3 years from his grandma and played it almost every day. (You can get your first month of ABC Mouse for free!)
I hope the back to school season isn’t too rough for you. Do you do anything to prepare for it that would be helpful? Let me know about it!
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