How to Make the Back-To-School Transition Easier For Your Family

There are so many things to prepare for - new teachers, new classmates, and of course, new curriculum.

The beginning of a new school year is an exciting time for students and parents alike. There are so many things to prepare for - new teachers, new classmates, and of course, new curriculum. There are also many things that you need to do as a family to prepare for a new school year, such as buying school supplies and clothes, and getting back into a routine. Here are some tips to help make the transition back to school smoother for both parents and children. Below are some tips to help make the transition back to school a smooth one.

Begin shifting routines.

One of the most important things students can do is shift their sleeping routines several days before school starts. This means going to bed earlier and waking up earlier and decreasing screen time.

1. Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it as much as possible. This could include reading, winding down for 30 minutes before sleep, or using relaxation techniques.

2. Avoid caffeine before bed. Caffeine can keep your child awake and can disrupt their sleep cycle.

3. Keep a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends. Sleeping in late can throw off your child’s natural rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep at night.

4. Make sure their bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool - conditions that are conducive to sleep.

When kids are going back to school, it's time to get serious about limiting screen time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should have no more than 2 hours of screen time a day. For most kids, that's probably about right. But for some, it might be less.

1. Set limits and stick to them. Decide how much screen time is allowed each day and week and enforce those limits.

2. Make sure your child has other activities to do. Get them involved in extracurricular activities or encourage them to read more books.

3. Lead by example. If you're constantly glued to your phone or tablet, your child will follow suit.

There are a lot of benefits to getting enough sleep and decreasing screen time. Students who get enough sleep have better concentration, are less likely to get sick, and perform better in school. It can be hard to change your sleeping routine, but it's worth it! Screen time before bed has been shown to negatively affect sleep quality, especially for children. This can lead to difficulty concentrating in school and overall fatigue.

Review all of your child’s Back to School documents sent by the school.

It's important to go over the information sent home by the school. Some schools post their information to their school website while others opt to mail informational packets home. Usually included in this information will be the school supply list, the emergency contact information, bus stop information, information from the School Nurse, etc.

It is a good idea to try to take care of your school supply shopping as early as possible to avoid the crowds in the stores or rely on doing your shopping online. Doing your shopping online let’s your compare prices more easily to help you get the best deals on school supplies.

It is extremely important to ensure that all of your emergency contacts for your child are up to date. In the case of emergency, schools rely on those lists to get help for your child so this is one of the most important tasks that you can do before your child returns to school.

If your child rides a bus, review your student’s bus stop location, route assignment, and pick-up times. Get familiar with your school’s procedures on how they communicate with you if the bus is delayed for any reason.

It is also vital to review all of your child's immunization records and make sure you are up to date on any vaccines recommended for school-aged children. If your child takes medication during the day, be sure to have a discussion with the School Nurse so that they are aware of how and when your child is to take their medication.

For elementary students, label their belongings.

We know how easily children can lose belongings or get them mixed up with other children so for students in lower grades, write the student’s name on any belongings that you don’t want them to misplace. If you are comfortable, on the larger items you can also include your name, address, phone number. This may be ideal for coats and bookbags. Also, label pencil boxes, hats, lunch boxes, and other items that your child will need from day to day.

Have a discussion with your child about going back to school.

The start of a new school year is an exciting time for children, parents and educators. But along with the anticipation and excitement come new challenges. This year, take some time to talk with your child about what to expect as they head back to school.

1. Discuss any changes that have happened since last school year – such as a new teacher, classmates or classroom.

2. Talk about any goals your child may have for the upcoming year – such as getting good grades, making friends or joining a club or sport.

3. Discuss any concerns your child may have – such as feeling scared or nervous about going back to school, missing old friends or being homesick.

4.Talk to your child about what they should do if they experience bullying or feel unsafe at school. Help your child establish specific point people that they should go to at the school if they have concerns and remind them that they need to also communicate these feelings with you.

Attend any Open House or Back to School night events.

Most schools have a Sneak a Peek night or Back to School night for you and your children to come and get acquainted with the administrators, teachers and other staff members. This is an important night for you and your family, this is the first time that you will get to introduce yourself to your child’s teachers and to encourage them to communicate with you. If you have read my other article, How To Best Communicate With Your Child’s School, you will remember that this first impression is key in ensuring that you have open lines of communication with your child’s teachers for the entire school year.

With just a little more preparation you will be setting your child up for success. They will be organized, mentally prepared and confident as well as ready for the new challenges that they will be presented with.