Back to school can be a very stressful time not just for kids, but for the parents and guardians they depend on. Although some will love the idea of being liberated from the full time responsibility that summer brings, others will be apprehensive about how their children will settle in to another year and a new curriculum. The adjustment can be easy for some, but a lot harder for others.
We’ve put together this small checklist to help you best prepare for those dreaded first two weeks of September.
Plan ahead:
Make sure your child has everything they need going into week one. Remember to also prepare for when something comes up like a deposit for a school trip, an extra version of a text book or other items. There are many planning apps available that can help make you more organised this school term, our personal favourite being “Trello”.
Talk to your child:
In the midst of purchasing new uniforms, books, stationary etc it can be easy to forget to take the time to sit down and talk at length to your child about their own preparation and feelings. Children can be experiencing a multitude of things as they approach a new school year. Regular chats with your children and partners will give you an idea of how everyone is feeling and coping with the adjustment.
Routine Routine Routine:
Routines usually go out the window once the school year has ended. A summer of running around and staying up late will need to be winded down as the first week in September rolls around. Begin to get a rough routine in place for both yourself and your children from mid August. If you haven’t already got this in place, it’s not too late to start now. This will usually coincide with sporting teams and groups starting back so it can be the perfect time to start introducing some of those habits from way back in June.
Rules and Rewards:
During the summer, kids can get used to a world free of homework, tests and other commitments. Set your children loose targets based around their ability for the coming weeks. This may be as simple as just completing all of their homework each night straight after dinner. For completing each target, your children should be rewarded. This can be as simple as an hour of their favourite TV show or playing their favourite game. Restrict the use of mobile phones or tablets once their homework commitments begins to pile up.
New Year, New Me:
It’s something we hear a lot on New Years Eve, but a new school year is also a chance not just to start eating healthier yourself, but to ensure your kids are eating better. This may include making healthy school and work lunches as well as taking up a new hobby or reading a book a week with your children. Biking or even walking to school with your children and then on to work will teach them the benefits of exercise while also improving the family fitness levels.
Get social:
Use the first week or two back as a chance to get more social with some of the parents of your children’s classmates. Start to organise little play dates for your children from late August and use this as an opportunity to chat with other parents on their own concerns coming into the new year. This will start to settle both your child’s mind and your own worries as you’ll soon see that nobody has it all figured out. Try to get involved in a parents association group or their social pages so you can network with other parents and teachers for the new school year.
Family Time and Personal Time:
Once you’ve gotten those initial few weeks out of the way, it is important to audit the amount of quality family time that you are spending together during any given week. Allow for a family movie or takeaway night to break up each week. Also, make sure you and your partner have enough time to relax by yourselves and maintain your own hobbies and interests, even if that means a midweek glass of wine and a nap.
Like all other school years, by mid September most of our worries are put to rest and another term will be well underway.
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