Holidays give children a much-needed break from school, allowing them to rest and recharge before diving back into their education. While vacations are fun, they often come with more relaxed days — making it harder for children to adjust to the stricter schedules necessary for the school year. Children need positive reinforcement and encouragement to foster independence and help them easily transition between school and breaks.
Instead of struggling to figure out how to get back to school after a long break, you can make transitions a breeze with a few simple strategies. Get your children involved with their schedule and help guide them towards self-sufficiency by carefully working with them to build a routine. Let’s look at ways you can help your child readjust to their school routine without stress.
1. Gradually Adjust Sleep Schedules
It’s normal for children to stay up later during long breaks away from school, but getting back into school routines can be tricky — sleep is one of the more challenging adjustments for children. Slowly shifting sleep schedules back to their standard time is the best way to help your child adjust their sleep without too much stress. Getting good sleep is essential for children’s health and focus — try to keep their sleep amounts regulated as you move their schedule forward.
Start moving their bedtime up by 10 minutes. For example, instead of a 9:30 bedtime, have them tucked in at 9:20. Each day, move it 10 minutes earlier until they’re getting in bed at the same time they need to for school. This gradual shift helps avoid sleep loss and makes switching from breaks to school easier for your child.
2. Create Consistency Before and After School
Morning routines and before-bedtime routines are essential for establishing flow and consistency in your child’s life. Create a morning routine for your child and go over the steps with them before school starts — you can even post a fun schedule with pictures and stickers for them to reference. Make sure they have ample time for brushing their teeth, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. Compliment them when they follow the schedule on their own — this helps reinforce their independence and makes them feel good about sticking to their routine.
Schedules don’t stop when school finishes — kids also need defined plans for their evenings. Plan out time for schoolwork, sports, activities, relaxation, and dinner according to your child’s needs. You don’t want to over-stuff their evening routine, but make room a couple of times a week for extracurricular activities, chores, and relaxation. Ensure they have access to this schedule and start preparing them for it before school begins, so they can be ready for it.
3. Organize Your Student’s Workspace
Before the school year begins, team up with your child to organize their workspace. Work with them to clean their study area and ensure they have everything they need to start the school year. Check out tips for setting up your student’s workspace to provide them with the best learning area possible. Having an organized, distraction-free area is a great way to help get them back into the school routine.
Ensure they have all the supplies they need for school. Additionally, provide them with ample space and lots of organizers like cubbies, folders, and drawers. Organization helps them feel less cluttered mentally and allows them to easily find whatever they need — even when transitioning into their routine after a break.
4. Update Your Calendar
Calendars are an excellent visual tool for establishing any back-to-school routine. Incorporate as much or as little into your calendar as your child wants — put bedtimes, meal times, important due dates, special activities, and more on the calendar. Get your child in the habit of adding dates and reminders on the calendar themselves — this helps them get in the habit of keeping track of their work themselves and encourages independence and responsibility.
Let your child personalize their calendar to make it feel more like theirs. Let them pick marker colors, magnets, stickers, and any other creative pieces to add to their calendar. Make scheduling fun and easy so that they’re more likely to do it on their own.
5. Set a Positive Example
Children look up to their parents and caregivers — if you show reluctance and lack a routine, children will observe and mimic that behavior. While dealing with mornings can be stressful, greeting the day with a positive outlook and a set routine can go a long way toward shaping how your child views each day.
Additionally, you can give the day a more positive outlook by asking your child what they’re most looking forward to each day. Trade stories about what you enjoyed during your day and invite them to find something they can look forward to every morning.
6. Encourage Independence
Getting everything ready for a school morning routine can be stressful some days. Encourage independence in your child to help them prepare for adult life and to make your morning run smoother. Children seven and above can take on tasks like getting dressed, making breakfast, and cleaning up on their own. Younger children can help out by putting toys away and packing their own lunches into lunchboxes if you set the ingredients out.
You can also get children more involved in their own schedules — have them help you plan their schedules and write updates on the calendar. Praise children for performing tasks on their own — it will make them feel good and encourages them to branch out and complete more tasks independently.
7. Let Kids Take the Lead
Instead of telling your child what to do every step of the routine, refer to their schedule and let them take the initiative. It’ll feel less like you’re nagging them and more like encouragement. Once they’ve completed a step, congratulate them and then ask them what the next step in their routine is. This fosters independence and gets children thinking proactively about their own schedules. The more you prompt them, the more they’ll learn to think and act for themselves in their routines.
Make CCA a Part of Your Routine
Virtual learning allows children to create flexible, customized education programs. At CCA, our teachers work closely with parents and students to find the scheduling and curriculum that work with your child’s unique talents. Remote learning allows students to get better, more personalized education at their own pace without sacrificing quality or enrichment. If you’re interested in finding out more about our online learning programs, contact us online today.
