The summer is almost done and the new academic year is creeping up faster
than you can imagine. If you want a seamless transition to the new school
year, planning and preparation will make it easier on everyone. Here are
a few things you can start doing now to help your students to get back
into the groove.
Happy mornings: Did you have a few bad mornings last year? Think about what went wrong
and try to institute routines that will make your mornings easier. If
your students don’t like getting up, then completing homework, packing
bags and setting out clothes the night before should become part of a
new morning routine. Discuss these new routines with your students and
get their input on bathroom schedules, lunches and breakfasts—they
are far more likely to participate in a routine that they helped create.
Get back into the routine: Staying up late and sleeping in have probably become a habit in your home,
so start getting your kids to bed a little earlier. Set an alarm so that
they get up earlier too. This will help with the switch back to an academic
timetable.
Reconnect: Get together with other moms and let your students reconnect with school
friends they may have missed over the break. Reconnecting with friends
will help them to look forward to a new school year.
Wardrobe check: Go through your student’s wardrobe with them to see what fits and
what doesn’t. This will also help you to see what they need for
the coming school year. Shopping for a new school wardrobe will also get
them enthusiastic about the going back to school.
Get organized: Buy a large chalkboard or calendar for the kitchen and start filling in
activities and sports as well as travel arrangements so that everyone
is informed and prepared.
Catch up with paperwork: Every new school year brings a slew of reading and paperwork that needs
to be done. Starting now will mean you are prepared for the new year and
the school has all the information they need.
Start your stationery shopping: Starting early means that there is no mad rush at the end and that you
save money on school supplies.
Planned lunches: Making school lunches is one routine you will have to get back into. Ask
your students to make a wish list of the lunch items they would like to
see on the menu. Plan a schedule for lunches so that you are not scrambling
around in the morning.
Tutors: If your student struggled with a subject last year, book a tutor for the
start of the academic year. You don’t want your student to fall
behind or feel overwhelmed.
Getting a tutor will help them to fill in gaps and build confidence.
Prevent brain drain: Take your student to the library to get some books. Reading and writing
exercises now will help them to get over the summer holiday brain drain.
