Getting Back in A Routine for School

Can you believe that it is almost time for the kids to go back to school and time to get back into our Back to School routine? I know that I am going to miss the warm, carefree days of summer but I also am looking forward to getting back into a Routine for School.

In my house, Summer is a time of fun and no schedules and we have been getting up late and going to bed late for weeks now and I know it is going to make it harder for us when our school schedule begins.  The easiest way to gear up for the school year and the busy days and nights of extracurriculars, homework and shorter days is to start preparing ourselves and our kids now.  By starting now it won’t be such an adjustment when the alarm goes off on the first day of school.

Here are some tips on how to get back into the Routine from School:

Earlier Bedtimes–If your kids are like mine they have been going to bed later and later throughout the summer. It is hard to get kids into bed, much less asleep when it is still light out.  As the days get shorter it gets easier to get the kids to sleep but now is the time to start moving bedtime back and you can do this by having your kids go to bed 15 minutes earlier every couple of days and back up their bedtime over the course of a week or so.

Getting up earlier–as you start to move bedtime back you can also start to wake the kids up earlier, rather than just allowing them to wake up when they are ready.  Do this gradually as well, no need to shock them.  Start by doing it in 15 minute increments, just like at bedtime, and in no time at all you will be ready.

Get back on your meal time schedule— because we have been lax with our bedtime/wake time schedule it has also thrown off our meal schedule.  We tend to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner later than we would during the fall and winter months so it is time to get those bellies back on schedule so that your kids aren’t starving during school.

Turn off the electronics–make sure that your kids are getting a chance to decompress from the electronics before they  go to sleep.   If you child has gotten used to watching TV or playing a video game before bed now is the time to start reducing the time that they are allowed to play–or at least have them stop 30-60 minutes before bedtime.

Make sure that they continue to get plenty of exercise–most kids have been actively playing and swimming all summer long so make sure that your kids are still getting enough exercise during the fall and winter.  If you don’t have time for them to play an organized sport after school then make sure they are doing some physical activity at home such as jumping jacks, push ups or an exercise video made for kids.  By ensuring they are getting enough exercise it will make their minds sharper, help them sleep better and help reduce some of the tension and energy that builds up at school.

What tips and tricks do you have for getting your children ready for Back to School? Leave me a comment and let me know!