Making the move from easy-going summer fun to strictly scheduled school time can be rough on the whole family. However, there are a few things you can do to make the transition from summer to school easier on everyone.
Sleep Schedules
It would be helpful to transition sleep schedules slowly. Maybe bring bedtime up five or ten minutes per day each day so that your child doesn’t really notice the gradual change. You can do the same when it comes to waking your kids up. If they take naps, try to coordinate their nap time with the schedule they will be following during school.
Eating Schedules
It can make such a huge difference if you coordinate your at-home eating times with your kid’s school schedule. If you’re eating much later or earlier than your child will eat when school begins, your child will likely get hungry during school. Avoid this by eating lunch during the predicted lunch time and snacks during the predicted snack time. You can also pack extra snacks for throughout the day if your child’s school allows kids to eat whenever they are hungry.
Last-Minute Vacation
With Labor Day just around the corner, taking a breather from school to get away, even just for a day, can remind your family that they can still enjoy the warmth and the outdoors even though they have to spend much of their day in school. It can also be a relaxing getaway and a great opportunity for you to spend time with your kids, as they will have been away from you for quite some time during the first couple weeks of school.
Quality Time
Because your kids will be away from you for most of the day during the school year, they will likely miss the quality time they had with you during the summer months. Make sure you spend at least fifteen minutes of alone time with your kids per day to ensure they don’t feel as though they are missing out on time with you.
