Every child loves summer vacation. It is a time to relax, no structure. They’re free from schoolwork and responsibilities at school. They can wake up as late as they want to. And, they are free to hang out with their friends on weekdays. Summer vacation is truly the most exciting part of every child’s school year.
Every summer vacation, though, must come to an end. You can avoid an abrupt ending and a house full of cranky children if you start the back-to-school preparation process a few weeks before class starts. At holistic health centers near me and holistic wellness centers near me, we work to help families get ready to make the transition from summer to school year. This school year will be especially interesting with the ongoing changes to how education is being presented.
Utilize the tips below to minimize the sting of going back to school on your children as well as keeping things focused, and as healthy as possible.
- Adjust their sleep schedule. Wean your kids into a school-ready sleeping schedule by making them fall asleep an hour earlier each week. At our holistic health centers near me we value and educate on the importance of proper sleep. Proper sleep can help them feel better, be able to focus on school work, as well as support them in their health overall. Continue cutting back their bedtime until their sleeping patterns match those they’ll maintain throughout the school year. We also recommend in the holistic wellness centers near, not to cut the bedtime back abruptly as this would make it more difficult to transition.
- Assign homework. It’s true that kids dislike homework. But it’s important to keep their minds sharp. Spending some time doing flash card drills, and getting their minds back into a learning environment can help for them to maintain their conscious awareness. In our holistic health centers near me, we strive to teach he importance of learning all year round through education that involves active playing. Meaning opportunities can be turned into teaching experiences.
- On the Internet, you can find many places that offer free downloadable worksheets for children of all ages to complete outside of school. Websites like www.teach-nology.com, www.abcteach.com, and www.lessonplanet.com provide a wide variety of options. We also have some available in the holistic wellness centers near me.
- Keep it lighthearted. Try to assign fun homework assignments and be lenient in deadlines. After all, it is summer vacation and your kids deserve to spend some of their time relaxing. One assignment per subject that is due at the end of the week is plenty. This is mostly to keep them in the pursuit of education.
- Tighten curfews. If you’re like most parents, you likely extend your children’s curfews throughout the summer. A few weeks before classes begin, be stricter about the time your children need to be home and which days they can go out with their friends. Just like sleeping , we do not want to make the shift abrupt. This should be gradual and tiered to help support the process.
- Allow your children to keep their summer curfew active on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday through Thursday, implement a “school-ready” curfew. This will mentally prepare your children for the new set of rules that will be in effect during the school year. At our holistic health centers near me, we advocate for the use of a strong predictable schedule to help to maintain the help.
- Make the change exciting. To your children, August is just the beginning of another boring school year. However, as a parent, you can’t help but marvel at the speed your babies are maturing! Help them see what you see by reminding them of all of the opportunities that will soon be available to them in the new school year. At our holistic wellness centers near me, we strive to keep things exciting, motivated, and supported.
Be firm about your decisions when preparing your kids for the change of going back to school. Most children are resistant when you first begin to implement these changes. However, after about a week or so, most children begin to accept the new routines. It is important to lay out the plan with them, why you think it is a good idea, and what you are trying to teach them in the process. Be prepared for the many groans and moans, however just know that the structure you are teaching them will help them for years to come. At our holistic health centers near me, we strive to teach children practical tools that make a difference in children’s lives.
Remember to take your children’s feelings and desires into account when designing your routine for getting ready to return to school. Kids have unique needs, and it’s important to let them know that their opinions are valuable. Be willing to give in a little and you’ll often receive a great deal of cooperation in return. At our holistic wellness centers near me, we encourage parents to validate and support their children’s feelings while also creating a structure. It most certainly can feel like a push or pull at times but the purpose is for it to support both you and them.
By implementing these changes, you’ll prepare your children well for going back to school. When school begins, it will be less of a shock to your children and the transition to a new daily routine will be an easier one for all.