Getting Kids Excited & Ready for the School Year

Little things that might help your children look forward to the fall.

How can you get your kids back in school mode? Unscheduled summer days can lead to unstructured mornings and frustration for families when school days roll around. You may be wondering what you can do to bring back some organization in the mornings.

Regular sleep can really help. If your kids can go to bed at a consistent time starting 10-14 days before the first day of school, that may help them to get up regularly (and early) again, so you can avoid a frenzied morning, and consequently, they can avoid a hurried bike ride or a race to the school bus.

Taking a bath or a shower at the same time every day should be another goal. If that habit has been lost, reintroduce it as school nears. Have your kids take a bath at the same time each night or a shower at the same time each night or morning.

You can gradually set bedtimes earlier as school approaches. Starting a week or two in advance, set alarms for when you need to wake up during the school year.

A haircut & new outfit can help kids head back to campus with confidence. Looking good is important for self-esteem. (You’ll want a picture of your kid in that first day outfit, too.) If your school requires uniforms, perhaps you can help them “accessorize” the uniform or sport a new pair of shoes or dress shirt, depending on the dress code. Schedule a back-to-school hair appointment earlier than you think you might need to – hair salons get crowded this time of year.

New shoes might be a priority. How do last year’s sneakers look now? Do they still fit? Kids grow so fast that it might be time to clean out the closet and donate clothes that no longer fit.

Do some “school prep” for the coming academic year. Think about creating a “homework area,” if the floorplan of your home permits, complete with snacks (but not toys or electronic distractions). Take your kids on a back-to-school shopping trip and have them pick out a new backpack, water bottle, or lunch box for the year ahead. (Speaking of lunch, what do your kids like to eat at school? Learn their food preferences, and encourage healthy choices.) Let them tell you what school supplies they will need, so you can stock up on them.

Parents need to get ready for school, too. The more prepared you are, and the more self-directed your kids are, the easier the school year becomes for everyone.

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