I am also preparing my family for the transition. A few things I do to make our transition from the lazy, carefree days of summer into the full, structured schedule of the school year may help your family ease back.
- Establish a calendar of scheduled activities-we use a paper calendar posted on our refrigerator. Along with activities we add dinner plans. The few minutes a week it takes to plan out our dinners helps with shopping and wasted time when we come home hungry!
- Establish a nightly reading routine if you don't have one. Reading is the perfect way to end the day.
- Start moving bedtime 15 to 30 minutes earlier each week.
- Set up homework station with supplies-we add pencils, erasers, colored pencils, paper, a calculator, ruler, and other like items.
- Prepare a lunch preparation bin-snack items, baggies, thermo, etc. Keep lunch box items all together to save time when packing lunches the night before.
- Spend time with your child choosing outfits for the first week-we usually wait until the week before so we can check the upcoming weather.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions for helping your family ease back to school?
Once the school year starts, I spend part of Saturday or Sunday doing food prep for the week. I find it is the only way we eat food that is actually good for us during the week.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea! What are some of your go-to meals for prepping?
DeleteI do the same-usually on Sundays. I cut and package all of the veggies for the week. We have our meals planned on the calendar and fortunately my husband loves to cook and with his schedule he is home earlier.
DeleteWonderful suggestions for transitioning back into school! I could definitely use the bedtime one. I've let myself get into staying up until all hours of the night. (Easy to do when you don't have little ones depending on you.)
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't have my own family to get back into the swing of school, I do have to take care of myself. Ha! I think that establishing and sticking to routines is a big thing. It takes a few weeks for something to become a habit, so if you start planning ahead and working on daily school routines before school starts, it will be easier when that time comes.
I have to admit I stick with my bedtime routine during the summer. I'm an early riser by nature so I don't have the issue of not wanting to wake up. My family is another story...
DeleteWell, it's the end of the summer for my family, and so far, I've neglected most of this good advice! My son went to bed far too late last night, but hopefully tonight will be earlier. He's ten, so he's headstrong. I agree about the reading- that's how I end my days, and that's why my son is up so late, reading! Our homework station is ready to go- supplies go in one of our kitchen cupboards, and there is a pencil cup permanently on the kitchen table. Fortunately, we don't have to worry much about choosing school clothes. It will be hot here for months yet, and my son will just grab whatever t-shirt and pair of shorts or pants is on top.
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to tell a reader to stop reading! Have a great start to your school year!
ReplyDeleteYou have some great ideas here. The one I usually do is make sure I begin going to bed and waking up at the normal school time. It helps my body get back into a rhythm. I do like your idea about dinner though. This is something I tried at the end of last school year, but it didn't become a habit. I think if I establish it at the beginning of the year, it will be easier to continue doing week by week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachael! It is so helpful to have dinner plans already established for each week! Another tip-you can reuse your plans from month to month and I try to add a new recipe or two each month to keep things interesting. Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteThis list has some great tips that I hope to use. I would have to add a list of extra-curricular activities for the week. Our daughter has dance after school so we would need a checklist for her dance supplies as well.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same schedule with cross country practice and dance!
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