It’s hard to believe that August is here already, oh how quickly sweet summer passes by! We’ll blink and it’ll be Christmas before we know it. With August upon us, it’s a reminder that the school year is about to begin. How are you wrapping up your summer to prep your child to return to school? Here’s a few reminders to help aide in a smooth back to school transition:
Schedule and Routine: Going from the free, unscheduled time of summer to immediate structured days can be a shock to the system for any person, let alone a child. A week or two before school starts, begin to slowly transition to a more scheduled day with bedtimes a few minutes earlier, wake up a few minutes earlier, this will help lessen the blow once school is back in full swing. Keep in mind to be flexible with your child as they are transitioning back into the school mind-set, summer is such a fun time and it can be hard for them to get into the school mindset.
School Supplies: Make sure that your child has all of the necessary items for their classroom in order to have a successful school year. Many teachers provide a list before school starts by mail or the school district will work with your local multi-purpose store so that you can grab a list as you’re shopping. Generally you can expect to purchase, notebooks, pens and pencils, paper and a backpack for older students. For younger students there is often crayons, glue sticks and pencil cases that will make the list. Make this a fun activity for you AND your child, letting them choose the items that they will be using this school year.
Get The Excited Mindset: Begin talking about the school year and what a great year it will be as summer begins to wind down, this can head to some excitement and anticipation for the start of school. Be sure to take your child to any ‘meet the teacher’, orientations or tour the school events prior to the school year, this gives them an opportunity to be acclimated and familiar with the setting instead of walking in blind on the first day of school. Often times your child will see classmates or previous teachers that will reinforce the positive mindset for the school year. If you’re new to the area attending these events will help introduce your child to new friends! Be sure to check our your local neighborhood Facebook groups as well to find out about bus stops, after school programs, etc. These types of groups will be your ears to the ground if you’re new to the area.
Prep: Before the first day of school, run through a prep meeting with your child discussing how things will go in the morning before school, what’s for lunch, where the bus stop is, etc. This gives them a mental picture to help them prepare for the big day and most kids need a comfortable plan in order to ease any anxiety or nerves they may have about school. Don’t forget about physicals for your children, often times these are required if they plan to play sports and the end of summer is a great time to set these appointments up.