The back-to-school season is here! If you are like most parents, you are running around like a crazy person trying to make sure your child has every ruler, pencil, and watercolor set that they need to have another great year!
While this is an exciting time for your kids, let’s be honest, it is an exciting time for you as well! You know the kids are at a safe place where they are doing a ton of learning throughout the day and you no longer have to figure out how to entertain them!
But I think you know as well as we do that going back to school isn’t always a fun process out of the gate. Getting your kids out of the summer groove and back into early mornings and homework is far from easy, but it might be a little easier this year with these back to school tips!
1) Start the new routine now!
Early to bed early to rise! Start living by this rule now in order to make the first day of school a little easier. Go through the whole routine: Wake up, eat breakfast, get ready and dressed for the day, and do whatever else will they be doing on their first day of school. At night, it’s time to enforce bedtimes a little more strictly. Easing them into the start of the year will make for a better and far less stressful first day of school!
2) Involve them in school supply shopping!
It would be much easier to just go to the store with your school-provided list of supplies and get out as fast as possible, but this can also be a beneficial step in getting everyone excited for school. By letting your kids pick out their own folders and pens, it lets them feel like they have some level of control. You can talk about all the fun things they are going to learn and projects they get to work on, and also spend a little time together before that first school bell rings.
3) Schedule playdates with classmates they haven’t seen in a while
Often times, our summers get so busy with vacations and family commitments, you’re kids may have not seen their “school friends” in some time. This can make the first day a little difficult because your kids might feel like they have to start all over again with those connections. Getting together with other parents and planning some fun activities together can make the social aspect of school a little less scary and make kids a little more comfortable
4) Have open conversations about how your child is feeling
Are they excited? Nervous? Stressed? Your child will probably feel all of these emotions at some point leading up to the school year. This is completely NORMAL and it’s important to always have an idea of where they stand. If they are nervous or stressed, you can take action and try some little things to change their mood. If they are excited, you can feed off that excitement and try and do some little things that prep them for a year of learning. Again, these moods can change day-to-day so it’s important to check-in often and adjust accordingly.
To a young child, heading back to school after a summer fun is a HUGE shift. Their schedules, the people they are around, and what they think about all change. Think back to when you were a kid, I’m sure you remember feeling all kinds of emotions leading up to the first day of school. By starting early and using these tips, you can help control those emotions and make back to school a fun process for everyone!
Make sure to check out our 4k and Preschool programs today! We still have a few spots available!
