Ways to Help Your Child Transition to the School Year

The holidays are a stress-free time for most kids. Other than knowing that they aren’t supposed to do homework or prepare to go to school every day, the fact that you can take your kids for the family trips that you promised makes the holidays even more interesting. The problem comes when the kids need to go back to school.

Transitioning from the relaxed state of the holiday to following a specific routine can be overwhelming. However, if you allow your kids to go back to school in the holiday spirits, it can be easy for them to lag behind in their studies, as well as make you late for your daily commitments. With the right approach, you can ensure that your kids are more than ready to start and proceed with the school year.

Here are some insights on how to make the transition to the school year easier:

Reestablish School Time Routines

Unlike during the school year when kids have to sleep and eat dinner quite early, the holidays are a little bit less strict. Your kid can sleep late watching TV and wake up late. However, the last thing any parent should want is to have this habit pour into the school year. Two weeks before the school year, start establishing the school routine.

For instance, have your kids ready for bed 15 minutes earlier than usual. Also, establish the normal school morning routine, such as brushing their teeth by a certain time. Lastly, limit screen time before bed. As long as they start doing this a few weeks before getting back to school, it will become easy to get back into the expected routine completely.

Set School Year Goals Early

Creating expectations for the school year long before it starts will make your kids anticipate getting back to school. It becomes easier to walk into the classroom door, knowing that they have to pay attention in math class to improve their grades. Hold conversations about what they want to achieve both in their academic and personal life.

For instance, you can create a plan on how your daughter, who struggles to make friends, will get into a bigger social circle of quality friends. You can also talk about other activities, such as sports. Ideally, creating a vision board at the start of the year will help the kids visualize and track their progress. Once the year is over, they can compare where they stand with what they wanted to achieve.

Create a Serene Working Environment for Homework

If you combine distractions with the pressure of trying to focus on getting back to school, it can be quite easy for your kids to finish any homework. Luckily, creating the perfect environment for them to work on their homework will help eliminate the distractions. In case you do not have a specific room designated for homework, look for a space with little to no distractions.

For instance, you can set up a working desk in a corner, at the end of the corridor or under the staircase. Also, ensure that the desk is de-cluttered and create a way for your kids to organize their school books and report cards. Providing your kid with a file will help them organize their class quizzes on their home desk.

Get Ready For School the Night Before

No one wants to wake up in the morning and start searching for their kid’s shoes all over the house. Instead of going through this struggle, why not organize everything before heading to bed? You should know the activities that your kids will be involved in during the next day.

This will make it easy to identify what needs to be organized and what shouldn’t be placed in their backpack. Take this time to set aside the school clothes, gym kits, and even books that your kids will need the next day. You can also involve them in this process to raise them in a culture of being organized.

Know their School Staff and Principal

While introducing yourself to your kids’ teachers and principal might seem like an afterthought, it does pay off. These are the people who spend the most time interacting with your kids during the school year. They can easily know when anything is amiss, and they can offer advice on how to create the right atmosphere for your kid both at home and at school.

As long as they can relate with you as the parent, it becomes easy for them to contact you when a problem arises. Creating this rapport is essential when looking to know the small issues that are easily ignored in the classroom. For instance, a teacher might ignore that your kid is sad, only for there to be a bigger problem behind it. When talking to the teacher, it becomes easy for them to point out such behavior, making it easier for to make your kid’s school year smoother.

For an optimal performance at school, your kids need to forget the holiday’s fun and get down to business. It only takes a few schedule changes to get them refocused. In turn, your kids can earn the joy of succeeding throughout their school year.