Start the School Year Off Right with These Back to School Tips from our Parenting Experts

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It’s Back to School Time! Are You Ready?

It’s back to school time, which means change and new routines! Children – and parents – have many different feelings happen this time of year: excitement, worry, dread, cheer, exhaustion, and relief, to name just a few. We all get stressed during transitions – you are not alone! Here are some tips and tricks from our parenting experts to help ease everyone into their new routines.

Get Organized!

Be proactive and get organized before the school year starts. Start moving from summer sleep schedules to school sleep schedules two weeks before the first day. Create and communicate expectations that you want to enforce from the get-go. Having backpacks ready the night before, as well as an outfit picked out, can make the morning flow much more smoothly. To help your child remember, display pictures of tasks (or post-its/checklists) at eye level. Start with a few tasks and gradually add more overtime to promote independence without overwhelming your child.

Schedule Downtime

Schedule some downtime. Most families will adjust to the new routine before too long – resting when adapting to something new help keep everyone at their best. Even if you are super excited to hear every detail of your child’s school day, it may be the last thing your child wants to discuss. Don’t take it personally! You can check in, but also give some space. When big emotions do arise, try to stay calm and empathize with the stress your child could be feeling.

Don’t Forget to Remain Positive

Make the most of it! Mistakes can be made into learning opportunities. Expect there will be ups and downs. The more you can focus on the ups; the more energized you and your family will feel. Call out the small wins, share the strengths you see in your family and yourself, and celebrate all that is going well. This will build confidence and help your family’s mindset about conquering the back-to-school moods.