Summer is nearing to an end. Lazy mornings and late nights are soon to be exchanged for routines and homework. If you have young kids going back to school, the best thing you can do is start to prepare early. Start your preparation a solid three weeks before their first school day. Here are some tips on how to get your child back to that early bedtime.
First, practice routine each day. Have your child get up, get themselves dressed and make themselves breakfast. Take it a step further and have them make themselves lunch. Turn it into a teaching moment of which foods are healthy for the body and which foods are so nutritious. Remember, Jack or Jill, aren’t going to be under your wing to college. Learning this skill young, instead of having mom and dad do it, will teach them independence.
Later on in the day, have your child relax and get ready for bed. They should bathe and brush their teeth by a set time, usually after dinner. Most children this age still enjoy parents reading them bedtime stories. If your child is old enough, allow them to learn on their own. Then, allow them to play with their toys in their pajamas. When your set bedtime has arrived, let’s say eight o’clock, make sure they have picked out tomorrow’s clothes. Have they packed their lunch? Both of these tasks will make their routine for the next day that much easier.
You should also teach your child to be enthusiastic about learning. Try to stick to their teach’s supply list, but allow your child to have personalized school items at home. If they want the red notebook, then let them have it. Saying no is going to damper their excitement. Let them pick out their school clothes and their book bag. Furthermore, allow them to see friends they have missed over the summer. All of this is going to help your child get ready for the new school year ahead.
On this note, be attentive to new people. Your child is going to a new classroom. They will have a new teacher. They may (or may not) know students from the previous school year. If they don’t, this can cause some children to become shy. This is one reason most schools have back-to-school nights. It’s the perfect setting for parents to meet one another, as well as students to meet one another. The teacher explains what the children will learn, and there is less reason for your child to be nervous. If they still are, however, encourage play dates or activities after school.
If your child is Pre-K (preschool/kindergarten) age, then the gradual entry may help ease the transition. If your child has been at home up to this point, they may not want to leave mom and dad. Don’t worry; there’s aren’t any teachers that will close the door on you. In fact, they encourage to stay as long as your child wants you there. But, more likely than not, your child is going to meet friends or find interest in a toy. They would have forgotten about you by the first story time. Trust that they’ll be okay and you’re going to make it through the day.
Finally, talk to your kids. Tell them what they can expect the upcoming school year. Ask your child what makes them nervous and wholeheartedly listen to them. Follow up their concerns with related stories. For instance, your child may be concerned they won’t have anyone to eat lunch with in the cafeteria. You could relate by telling them a story in which you had this happen, too, but you met a new friend in class. This encourages them to open up to their classmates, be more trusting and friendly.
Going back to school is exciting. It should be something that your child enjoys. Keep the conversation open about school, and they’re going to be lifetime learners. editor@urbanmediatoday.com