Tips for Tackling a New School Year
A new school year can be an exciting time — new subjects to learn, extracurriculars, and time with friends can make your child eager to get back to school. But back-to-school season can also be a stressful time for many families. Getting back into a regular routine can be hard, and a new school year can bring up anxieties around grades, schedules, and relationships with classmates. Thankfully, there are ways to make the transition easier on you and your child. Read below for some tips for creating a successful school year.
Create and stick to routines. Research shows that structure and predictability are important for children’s healthy development and wellbeing. Creating a regular schedule and routine around meals and bedtime will help your child feel more rested and prepared and create a smoother transition back to school. Sticking to healthy routines most of the time, while remaining flexible when there are inevitable disruptions in your schedule, will minimize stress for both you and your child.
Check in with your child regularly. Back to school can be an exciting time for your child, but it can also be a source of anxiety. Checking in with your child regularly, whether on the drive home from school or over the dinner table, will give your child the opportunity to share their excitement and accomplishments, as well as their disappointments and worries. Checking in regularly can help you identify potential areas of concern in your child’s life so that you can support them through challenges.
Create a structured homework routine. Getting your child to do their homework can be a challenge, but creating a structured routine can help set expectations around homework time. Establish a regular time for your child to work on homework each day, whether right after school or before dinnertime. Ensure that your child has a distraction-free workplace free of unnecessary devices and noise so that they can work without interruption.
Schedule downtime. It can be easy to get caught up in the daily grind, but fun and rest are important for you and your child’s health and wellbeing. Having some time each day to play or do something relaxing together, such as watching a movie or playing a board game, will help alleviate stress and prevent burnout.
Manage expectations. Sticking to routines is a great way to get work done and ensure that your family’s needs are being met, but there will be times when your day doesn’t go as planned. There will be days when meltdowns happen, homework doesn’t get done, and dinner comes from a takeout box, and that’s okay. Remaining flexible and having patience with yourself, your child, and your family can help difficult days feel less daunting and make it easier to get back on track.