‘Tis the season for heading back into the school time routine, the packed backpacks and lunchboxes, school buses in the neighborhood, and kids laughter from the playgrounds. I always loved the excitement of the first few days of school, the smells of the morning air and fresh set of erasers, and getting to see my friends after the long summer break.
In getting my own kids ready for the school year, we always spend the week before establishing our routine after a long summer of changing routines. For us, this looks like:
- Getting back to bedtime at an earlier hour
- Waking up at the same time every morning
- Limiting screen time
- Practice morning self care (hair brushing, teeth brushing, clean clothes) before the timeframe of leaving for school.
Another thing I like to focus on is reminding our kids how to handle emotional struggles that will come up during the school days, because emotional regulation is key to helping move through the day easily when conflict occurs. This can look like:
- Practice repeating positive affirmations:
- I can do things even if they’re hard,
- I can be ok even if someone else is not
- My feelings matter, I get better every single day
- I am smart and capable
- I can ask for help when I need it
- Model conflict resolution
- Rehearse asking for help from a grown up on duty
I also like to start getting the kids ready to go with all of their supplies for school. Being able to use all of their items easily will make their first day much easier, and help their teachers by keeping the focus on learning, not assisting with each item.
- Pack lunchboxes a few days before and attempt to open common items (bags, zippers, and velcro tabs)
- Practice tying shoes if they are in shoes with laces
- Unpack all small items and show them where they are and how to use them (scissors, markers, erasers, etc)
The last thing I try to share with my kids is to show them that there is no reason to make fun of any person or friend for anything about their looks, appearance, or speech. It’s important to have these conversations before the school year even starts because it helps them recognize these things when they happen and curtail it before it occurs.
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