How to Prepare Your Child For Going Back To School
Can you believe it’s already time to start thinking about the kids going back to school? It will be here before we know it. It’s best to get prepared now to make the transition of going back to school that much easier. Consider implementing one or all of these tips to make this school year the most successful it can be.
Establish routines.
Summertime tends to be less structured than the school year. Children stay up later, wake later and have less overall responsibility. It’s important to begin setting the school year expectations well in advance to avoid problems with the adjustment. It’s never a good idea to start your new routines on the first day of school. Build up slowly to the new schedule.
Create a homework station.
It can be helpful to establish a dedicated place in the home where children are expected to complete their homework. Set up the space with the supplies such as pencils, extra paper, dictionary, rulers, crayons, and other items that may be particular to your child’s grade level to help them complete their work efficiently. Having a dedicated space can help train the brain to focus more quickly.
Backpack/Out the door station.
If there is nowhere to hang a backpack and coat where else is a child supposed to place them but on the floor? Create a small space where children place their items when they return home from school. It can be difficult to get them to use it right away, but if you stick with it and set the expectation far in advance they will eventually do it without thinking about it.
Lunch making station.
Lunches are much easier to put together when you have everything you need in one place. Dedicate a drawer or cabinet to everything need for lunches. Include Ziploc bags, plastic utensils, paper sacks, lunch boxes and non-perishable foods to make lunch making a snap.
Create a system for all that school paper.
Children bring home A LOT of paper! Be prepared this year by setting up a sustainable system.
Have an inbox for the paper they bring home daily.
Before paper hits the inbox take 2 minutes to sort through them and decide what must stay and what goes.
Prepare Your Child For Going Back To School
Separate action paper (permission slips, etc.) from paper to file (artwork, test grades).
Keep a file folder handy of all action items.
Keep a large tote of paper to file.
Monthly or quarterly spend time with each child going through their tote of paper to file. Decide which items are important to both you and your child. Date the important items (you will forget later!) and toss the rest.
Consider scanning the items you’re keeping to further reduce paper clutter.
Update clothing.
Spend time cleaning out clothing drawers and closets. Put away or donate any clothing that is too small or too big. Getting dressed in the morning is much easier for children when their drawers aren’t overflowing with clothes that don’t fit them anymore.
