August is when the hot summer days start to mellow, but for your kids there’s a shadow on the horizon. It’s not easy for a child who is settled in a lazy-day mode, waking up late, slurping ice pops, and playing in sprinklers, to suddenly be faced with early-morning awakenings, a more rigid schedule, and dreaded homework.
Ease their transition into the new season by checking out these tips on how to get your kids ready for school.
Enjoy The Last Days Of Summer
It won’t take more than a week to get your school-age child primed for the next grade. So rather than dwell on the transition, enjoy the last lingering days of summer break by planning events they’ll enjoy–or not planning anything at all.
Set A Sane Sleep Schedule
If your children have been staying up late and waking up later, now’s the time to gently re-boot those circadian rhythms. About a week before school starts, set an ever-earlier bedtime. Make sure to wake them up before the sun is too high over the proverbial yardarm, so they’ll adjust more quickly
Check That Summer Homework
Did your child’s new teacher send you a note about summer homework? If you didn’t drop the hammer on that task at the beginning of the summer, now’s the time to dig up that information and get the work done. If there’s a book to read, set reasonable daily page reading goals. If there are worksheets, parse them out so your kids get them done with a minimum of groaning. These small homework tasks will get them back in the mode of getting things done.
Make Shopping An Expedition
They’re all going to need new shoes, clothes, and school supplies, so a trip to the local mall or big-box store is in order. Whether your kids hate shopping or love it, tie the excursion into an outing, like an hour at an indoor arcade, lunch at a special restaurant, or an outing to a movie theater to see the latest superhero flick one more time.
Doing all the shopping at once might be overwhelming, so consider making a special trip for school supply shopping. For many kids, shopping for crayons, markers, rulers, and sparkly pencils is a kick. Letting them fill up their new backpack with supplies is a great way to build anticipation for the return to school.
Listen Carefully For Signs Of Anxiety
It’s natural for children to have some anxiety about the new school year. If they’re nervous because they’re changing schools, arrange a visit in the days prior to opening, so that the building and environs won’t be completely foreign to them on the first day. If they’re nervous about separation, remind them that you’ll be waiting for them after school every day. Be sure to radiate calm, confident assurance, because if you do, they’re sure to feel it, too.
