It is empowering for kids to have a say in their day-to-day routines and schedule and there are few things better to promote buy-in from the whole family. Start off the new school year with a plan that you and your child create together. Encourage your child to think about how they will structure their after-school time. What activities do they want to participate in, and how will that impact their schedule? It’s important to help your child think through their workload when making this plan, especially as they get older and have more homework demands. Are there any new activities or clubs they want to check out? Is it realistic to be involved in two sports and three clubs? How much time will be needed for homework, and when will it be completed? If your student’s homework load is minimal, encourage them to use the “homework time” to read about something they are curious about, a fun book picked at the library. It can be a time to write and reflect, or even practice their math facts. The point is to carve out a consistent time for intentional learning.

Another fun way to get your child excited to go back to school is going school supply shopping. What kid is not excited to get new supplies? I also have found that supply lists can give terrific insight into the work ahead, and like to use them to talk about how they might be used with my kids. My kids love to write and draw so we often talk about what each composition notebook will hold. I can remember transitioning to high school and wondering how to use a compass and protractor in Geometry or how to navigate a graphing calculator. These tools can take some practice, so playing around and figuring things out before school starts can be helpful.

If your student will be going to a new school, plan to take a tour before school starts to help them feel more at ease on the first day of school. Many schools host a teacher meet and greet or back to school night before school starts which is another great opportunity for you and your student to meet their new teachers and get familiarized with the school and checkout their new classrooms, lockers, lunchroom, gym and more. This provided so much comfort to my oldest when she went off to middle school last year. Learning how to open a locker for the first time can be tricky. Navigating big hallways to get to classes on opposite sides of the building in short passing periods is also an intimidating task. So I strongly encourage practicing these skills before school starts for a much smoother transition to school.

Often during the summer we slip into a different, more relaxed routine with later bedtimes. My older kids shift the most often staying up past their normal bedtime and then sleeping late into the morning. To get back on track, I start a school-schedule with regular bedtimes and regular wake up times a couple weeks before school starts. It is probably the most important thing I do to help ease the stress of returning to school. This year, I am also going to have us practice their whole routine a few days before school starts. From picking out clothes and setting their alarm the night before to waking up and completing their morning ritual, getting in the car and heading to the bus stop.

It is not only important to consider the morning routine but also the flow of the after school schedule. Most kids need a little time to decompress after a long day of learning. Providing a healthy snack and then some time to get outside or do something active can be a great way to move into this part of the day. Once they have a bit of time to get some energy out, kids are more able to settle down to focus on homework.