Practical tips for a smooth back-to-school season
21 August, 2018
Imagine for a second that tomorrow, you start a new job. This implies a new boss, new colleagues, new expectations, several new functions and a new environment. What if I told you that starting tomorrow, you also had to get back to physical training, three times a week? To top it all off, you would also have to start a diet and plan your meals to ensure that your diet is healthy and varied at all times! Let's agree that this would be a major challenge! That putting everything forward at the same time would be a bit stressful and difficult to do. Wouldn't you feel stressed and a bit overwhelmed? Wouldn't it be wiser to take it one goal at a time?
However, this is what we tend to ask of our children when they start school! Suddenly, they have to go to bed and wake up early, there is less time for play, they have to rush every morning, they have to have dinner quickly, do homework, take a bath and the day is already over! They also have to learn a multitude of new things at school: the new teacher and their requirements, their way of functioning that they have to adapt to, and more. In short, it's a lot for our little ones from the very first week! I suggest instead that you take it gradually and start a few weeks before school starts to get back into the necessary habits for the school year.
First, make a list of the habits you would like your child to resume for the start of the school year. Remember, your expectations must be clear and positively formulated. Here is my list, maybe it will inspire you!
-
Get dressed as soon as you wake up.
-
Have breakfast in 30 minutes.
-
Set the alarm clock for 6:30 am.
-
Go to bed at 8 pm.
-
Read for 30 minutes or work in an activity book every evening (the goal being to gently prepare them for homework and lesson time).
-
Reduce screen time (TV, tablet, computer, etc.) to 30 minutes a day (or less depending on the child's age).
Each week, ask your children to incorporate one or two new habits. Here, we write the new habits to take on our monthly planner, but we could very well integrate them into the "Kids' Little Missions" section of the Les Belles Combines weekly family planner. By doing things this way, you ensure that you experience a smooth transition between summer holidays filled with fun and letting go, and the rigour of school life.
To encourage children to resume their good habits, include yourself in the challenge! It's a family challenge after all! So I invite you to switch from "you" to "we". Rather than saying "you must get dressed as soon as you wake up", tell them instead "we must get dressed as soon as we wake up". In addition, plan a family reward as soon as all family members have resumed all their good habits: dinner at a restaurant, a movie night, a new board game that the whole family will play, etc.
Finally, a few days before school starts, why not do a dress rehearsal to reassure the children (and reassure yourself)! Do as if it were the real back-to-school day and everyone had to leave for school; the children will certainly find the idea fun and they will feel more ready for D-Day.
Psst! For an even more organized start to the school year, download these little tips and integrate them into the Education and School Management department of your family organization binder:
- Homework autonomy station (Would you like to have this little trick handy, available at all times on your cell phone? Find it for free on our Octave app!)
- Important school information
Happy back to school!
Do you want to have the chance to preview all the content published in the Magazine each month, and have access to our Toolbox including free practical and fun downloads? Subscribe to Belles Combines Magazine now!
Imagine for a second that tomorrow, you start a new job. This implies a new boss, new colleagues, new expectations, several new functions and a new environment. What if I told you that starting tomorrow, you also had to get back to physical training, three times a week? To top it all off, you would also have to start a diet and plan your meals to ensure that your diet is healthy and varied at all times! Let's agree that this would be a major challenge! That putting everything forward at the same time would be a bit stressful and difficult to do. Wouldn't you feel stressed and a bit overwhelmed? Wouldn't it be wiser to take it one goal at a time?
However, this is what we tend to ask of our children when they start school! Suddenly, they have to go to bed and wake up early, there is less time for play, they have to rush every morning, they have to have dinner quickly, do homework, take a bath and the day is already over! They also have to learn a multitude of new things at school: the new teacher and their requirements, their way of functioning that they have to adapt to, and more. In short, it's a lot for our little ones from the very first week! I suggest instead that you take it gradually and start a few weeks before school starts to get back into the necessary habits for the school year.
First, make a list of the habits you would like your child to resume for the start of the school year. Remember, your expectations must be clear and positively formulated. Here is my list, maybe it will inspire you!
-
Get dressed as soon as you wake up.
-
Have breakfast in 30 minutes.
-
Set the alarm clock for 6:30 am.
-
Go to bed at 8 pm.
-
Read for 30 minutes or work in an activity book every evening (the goal being to gently prepare them for homework and lesson time).
-
Reduce screen time (TV, tablet, computer, etc.) to 30 minutes a day (or less depending on the child's age).
Each week, ask your children to incorporate one or two new habits. Here, we write the new habits to take on our monthly planner, but we could very well integrate them into the "Kids' Little Missions" section of the Les Belles Combines weekly family planner. By doing things this way, you ensure that you experience a smooth transition between summer holidays filled with fun and letting go, and the rigour of school life.
To encourage children to resume their good habits, include yourself in the challenge! It's a family challenge after all! So I invite you to switch from "you" to "we". Rather than saying "you must get dressed as soon as you wake up", tell them instead "we must get dressed as soon as we wake up". In addition, plan a family reward as soon as all family members have resumed all their good habits: dinner at a restaurant, a movie night, a new board game that the whole family will play, etc.
Finally, a few days before school starts, why not do a dress rehearsal to reassure the children (and reassure yourself)! Do as if it were the real back-to-school day and everyone had to leave for school; the children will certainly find the idea fun and they will feel more ready for D-Day.
Psst! For an even more organized start to the school year, download these little tips and integrate them into the Education and School Management department of your family organization binder:
- Homework autonomy station (Would you like to have this little trick handy, available at all times on your cell phone? Find it for free on our Octave app!)
- Important school information
Happy back to school!
Do you want to have the chance to preview all the content published in the Magazine each month, and have access to our Toolbox including free practical and fun downloads? Subscribe to Belles Combines Magazine now!