Back to School Made Easy

When it comes to heading back to school kids lag and parents pull their hair out. With a few simple tips you can make back to school an easy transition.

You have to create structure. One of the first things you have to do is get your child in the school sleep habit. For nine weeks, he or she probably has gone to bed when they want or gotten up later than usual. As a parent you have to retrain their sleep pattern. Start early. I usually start training my child four weeks before school starts. This gives him plenty of time to get use to the new schedule. For most kids a decent bedtime is around 8:30 or 9 pm; this gives them enough time to eat dinner, do their homework, brush their teeth, and take a bath. It also gives them nine hours of rest.

You will also need a morning routine. For most kids getting ready for school comes early. Set your clock about 30 minutes before it’s time to wake up your child. If he or she eats breakfast at home, have it prepared before they get up. Always have their clothes laid out and ready for them.  With my child, I have to start minutes before it’s time to actually get him up, to start getting him up.

If you’ll start early with their nightly and morning routines, by the time they go back to school it will be a daily habit. Although they may be tempted to slip back into their old routine on the week-ends, don’t let them. It will only make them lazy.  Remember, early to bed and early to rise will make your child wise.

You have to set rules. Kids hate rules. But as a parent, your job is to set rules and enforce those rules. Rules are part of the transition back to school. Every child needs them.  The first rule is homework. Once your child comes home in the afternoon, give them a quick snack and make them start their homework. He or she will resist this rule. They had rather be hanging out with their friends. My grandson has learned no homework, no friends. Be firm. Not getting their homework done in a timely manner, can lead to bad grades.

Limit television or video game time.  Most kids want to watch television or play video games when they come home from school. The best rule of thumb during school days is either to limit this activity or cut it out completely until the week-end.

For older kids, if they are dating, only allow that activity on the week-ends. Set a curfew. Teenagers don’t need to stay out past 11 o’clock. 

 If your child has a cell phone or iPod, limit that usage as well.

You have to remember to kids, rules aren’t cool. But if they obey the rules you set for them, they’ll do good in school.

Make your child’s back to school easy with structure and rules. It’s as easy as ABC and 123.