Make these changes to get back to school with ease.
Summertime often brings the surprise wistfulness of returning to school amongst friends, sports teams, and extracurriculars. But as that week draws near, waking up early and coming home to homework isn’t putting smiles on anyone’s face.
Getting in the “back-to-school” groove can be challenging for students and parents alike as schedules quickly adjust, and new routines are implemented. Lazy mornings are suddenly rushed. Start to pour some cereal and pack a PB&J while ensuring their teeth are brushed, and shoes are tied. Evenings become hectic with cleaning off cleats and clearing the dinner table.
As summer comes to a close, use some of these tricks to make getting back to school more accessible than ever.
Ease into a New Schedule
Students inevitably relax into a summer sleep schedule where late nights turn into late mornings. For most students, waking up at 9 a.m. during the school year won’t work. However, suddenly arising two hours earlier probably won’t make a smooth transition.
The week before school starts, set a sleep schedule where lights are out a little earlier each night and your kids are out of bed a little earlier each morning. Consider setting the alarm 15 minutes earlier each day until students are at or near the time they’ll get up for school. This way, it’ll feel familiar when school rolls around.
Plan Ahead
Minimize morning stress by planning either the weekend or the night before. Consider getting these items ready in advance:
- Lunches or lunch money
- Outfits
- Homework folders
- Gym bags
- Breakfast
Taking care of routine, predictable needs in advance is a great way to gain extra time and move more efficiently. While breakfasts and lunches may need to be made the night before, gym clothes, outfits, and homework can be organized and prepped well in advance. You’ll be less likely to leave out essential details with more time to check and double-check homework, and unexpected situations will be less likely to throw your morning off track.
If you want a few extra ideas, check out our tips for more efficient mornings.
Plan a First Week Treat
The first week will often be the biggest hurdle, but giving your kids something to look forward to can at least make any discomfort a little more rewarding. Whether it’s pizza for dinner or ice cream after school, plan an easy and economical treat that your kids can look forward to. Let them know in advance that it’s a plan set in stone, and they’ll have something that makes the adjustments seem a little more worthwhile.
Talk with Your Children
As parents, imposing a schedule or routine, you think works best can be tempting. However, including your child in decision-making is essential while letting them know you still make the rules. Ask for feedback about how they like their schedule and at what points of the day, if any, they feel most stressed out. You might be surprised that they find mornings relatively easy while focusing on homework is challenging.
Plan for Afternoons
Regarding homework, afternoons seem to get neglected when implementing a back-to-school routine. By the end of a busy day, everyone’s ready to relax. Consider that structure can assist in creating a more relaxed evening by helping ensure the important stuff—like homework, permission slips, and chores—get taken care of first before recreational activities and socialization. Plus, getting essentials out of the way will ensure that dinnertime is quality time.
With some planning and grace, these strategies might just beat the back-to-school blues in time for the first chilly breezes of fall…and fundraising season!
Author Bio
Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.