Practical Ideas for Launching a Smooth New School Year - Learning Lab

Practical Ideas for Launching a Smooth New School Year

23 JUNE 2015 | VANESSA ADAMS 

Animated icon of a young student being congratulated by a teacher.

Yes, it’s still June!

However, before we know it, it will be time for back-to-school shopping, cooler temperatures, and the promise of a brand-new school year for your child. Though it’s usually exciting, any new and uncharted territory can produce uncertainty and even anxiety in children and teens. The summer break is usually just enough time to get very comfortable with more relaxed schedules, flexible meal routines, and a slower pace for most days. Then, the start of a new school year seems to come out of nowhere!

Here are some helpful tips for things you can do now before the first day of school to make an impact all year long. A little work and early preparation will make a remarkable difference in how everyone in the family feels at the start of this important transition. Every moment spent in advance will be repaid with reduced stress, pressure, and time-crunch later!

  • No later than 2-3 whole weeks before the first day of school, begin to follow your child’s normal (ideal) bedtimes and waking times.
  • Establish a family rule that all screens must be off at least one hour prior to bedtime. Especially for younger children (but research shows–for ALL of us!), screen time at the end of the night disrupts our sleep patterns and rhythms and can over-stimulate our brains, making regular sleep much more difficult to achieve. Instead, encourage reading from books or magazines, or playing quiet, non-computerized games.
  • Especially for breakfast, begin eating at the time you anticipate your child will need to eat during the school year. High-protein foods are good fuel for beginning the day with energy and focus.
  • Create (or re-establish) a dedicated, physical zone for homework to be completed. Stock all supplies that may be needed.
  • Determine and post your family’s rules for homework completion. Make decisions on the when, where, agreements on breaks or asking for help, and display this in a colorful way on a nearby wall. With sports and other after-school activities in full-swing, it is likely that these guidelines may be different from day to day during the week. Anytime a regular, repeating schedule can be identified ahead of time, provide a written or pictorial reminder and place it where homework is being completed.
  • If appropriate, set a start/end time for when friends can visit, when electronics are available after work is completed, etc. Post these rules as well!
  • As soon as school begins, make an on-purpose habit of making as many choices the night before as is possible–of all suggestions, this one is likely to save the most headaches! Lay out all clothing (down to socks, shoes, hair accessories, etc.), pack lunches, and place backpacks by the door or in the car for the morning. Have your child be involved in this process early–even Kindergarteners can pack simple lunches and choose outfits.

You may wish to adjust your family’s rules as the school year progresses and you learn how this school year feels in comparison to years past. Making a change to a family routine is perfectly acceptable–as long as everyone knows what is expected. Be flexible with changes if needed, but intentionally focus on maintaining consistency with the rules you do find to be successful!