It's here! School is back and everyone is excited, even parents, therapists, and educators! But, the transition back is not always so sweet. So, here are some simple tips to keep your kiddos moving and grooving back into the school routine.
- Set expectations. Let your kids know what will change now that summer is over and school is back in session.
- Set a bed time and don't budge! Gradually adjust to the new time 10 minutes at a time.
- Make a visual schedule chart. Laminate the schedule or make it on a white board or chalk board so that your kids can check off each task as they are completed.
- Get things ready for the next day, the night before. This will help decrease the amount of chaos in the morning.
- Allow your kids to have a say (within reason) as to what is in their lunches and what they wear (if they don't have uniforms).
- Schedule a homework routine for the same time each night so there are no surprises.
- Allow your kids to have some free time at night to decompress from the day to prevent burn out early.
- Practice the new routine a couple times so everyone is on the same page.
- Cut off tags on the inside of clothing prior to wearing to decrease defensiveness against their clothes.
- Talk about any changes ahead of time. Surprises are not always a good thing.
- If your child has difficulty with transitions, contact the school to ask for a private visit to walk through the school and meet the teacher without the crowd.
- COMMUNICATE! Be sure to start off with good communication between you and the teacher. Inform the teach with both written and verbal information that may be important throughout the transition and school year.
Next on the 'Back to School Series: Homework Havoc'!