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#1. Prepare Clothes and Backpacks the Night Before
It's back-to-school time again, which can be a tricky transition for parents and kids. Here are some tips to make it go a little smoother with less morning frustrations.
First, get everything ready the night before. We did this with our kids, and even as they got to high school, they still try to follow this. Have your child pick out their clothes the night before. That way, you'll have fewer fashion crises in the morning. Same with their backpacks. Get everything set up before they go to bed. For older kids, that usually means making sure they plug in their computers if they have to take them to school daily.
#2. Allow Extra Time to Wake Up and Get Ready
In the morning, wake them up in plenty of time. I will tell you that I often feel like a human alarm clock. You wake your kids up, but then have to go back every 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they're actually awake and moving. If you start this early enough, then your child will rush less and be less stressed by the time they need to leave.
#3. Make Time for a Nutritious Breakfast
Make sure there is time for breakfast too. I hear all the time that the reason kids don't eat breakfast is that they don't have time to. Well, make time. My kids had to leave the house at 7:00 a.m., starting even in junior high, and they always had time for something in their stomachs, even if it was a few granola bars or something, because otherwise, you would have some hangry kids by the time lunch rolls around. And hungry kids don't learn well.
#4. Limit Screen Time Until After School
To keep kids moving, tell them no screen time until after school. For our kids, if they had absolutely everything done and there was still time, they could watch a little TV. But when I said, "TV off," they knew it was time to go.
#5. Double-Check Supplies Before Leaving
Make sure to do a check before your kid leaves the house, too. Make sure they have everything: their backpack, their computer if needed, their lunch if they take their lunch, and anything they need for after-school extracurriculars. No one leaves the house until everything is accounted for.
#6. Send Kids Off With a Positive Start
Finally, send them off to school on a positive note. A simple wave as your high schooler drives away, even just saying, "Have a good day," means a lot to the kids. Do hugs at home because most elementary schools will make you do quick drop-offs in a car lane, and most junior high kids and high school kids don't want public displays of affection from their parents.
This all seems like common sense and simple to do. But with how chaotic school mornings can be, if you can take a minute to do all of this on a regular basis with your child, it becomes your team and can really help your kids make sure they have all they need and they get to school on time and ready to learn.
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