Easing the Back-to-School Transition
With earlier bedtimes and wake-ups, homework assignments, and busy schedules, going from lazy summer to regimented autumn can sometimes be tough on kids. Instead of making an abrupt switch, use the next few weeks (or days, depending on when school starts in your area!) to create a gradual transition to the new school year with these ideas:
- Start the conversation. Begin talking about the upcoming school year as a family. What are your kids most excited about? What are some of their goals?
- Complete summer reading assignments. Since middle and high school students usually have to read novels, they’ve probably long since created a long-term plan. Younger kids can get away with reading their shorter assignments the night before–but why wait? Tackle summer reading now, and discuss the material together.
- Reinstate routine. Part of summer’s charm is that routine often flies out the window. However, now is the time to get your little one used to the idea of the school year schedule, so gradually reinstate earlier bedtimes and wake-ups.
- Give them something to be excited about. It can be something as simple as a new lunchbox or colored pencil set, but kids will be excited about new school gear if they get to pick it out.
For more back-to-school resources, including greening your school and healthy school lunches, check out kiwimagonline.com/backtoschool.
-Marygrace, KIWI Staffter
Tags: back to school
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August 25th, 2009 at 2:10 am
We are LOVING our new PlanetBox lunch box. Have you seen them? Bye bye bento, hello PlanetBox. I am going to buy one for myself
August 25th, 2009 at 2:12 am
I try to make the last 2 weeks before school like a little honey-do list for my kindergartner. She always wants one last visit to the zoo and aquarium before school starts and we have an annual tradition of going to the state fair. Somehow, the tradition of going to our favorite places seems to signal the brain that school starts soon.