Those first few days of school can often be a difficult time of adjustment for your child; not only are they dealing with new classes, teachers and perhaps even a new school but, they are also dealing with the transition from the freedom of routine that summer offers to the more regimented routine needed to do well at school. Here are a few back to school tips that will help make your child's transition to a new school year simpler and easier.
1. Begin the transition from summer to school year early. Starting about two weeks before school begins start instituting some of those rules you will use during the school year. Bedtime is a good place to start. Have your child get ready for bed and be in bed by the time they will need to be once school starts. If your child has been allowed to stay up late during the summer it will take them some time to adjust to an earlier bed time so don't try to force them to sleep simply have them be in bed and read quietly for some time before turning out the lights. Then begin reducing this reading time by 15 minutes or so every few days.
2. Another one of the great back to school tips is having your child start to organize the place where they are going to study during the upcoming school year. Once they have a desk or area cleared shop for study supplies together and let them get those organized.
3. If your child is younger plan a visit to the school and let them see their classroom, look at the books they will be using and meet the teacher. This often reduces anxiety in young children and makes it possible for them to look forward to the school year.
4. Talk to your child about the school year rules. If homework is to be done before playtime, when bath time and bed time is and anything else that will make their day go smoother. Knowing what to expect avoids problems in the future.
5. About a week before the start of school begin setting the alarm and getting your child out of bed and ready for the day. They may balk at first but, this really does help to make the adjustment back to school easier.
6. Practice laying out clothes for the next day and insuring they have everything ready so that they get into this habit before the first day of school.
7. Review all school safety rules regarding walking, biking or riding a bus to school. Make sure your child knows all the safety rules and can repeat them back to you. While this does not mean that your child will always follow the rules it makes it much more likely.
By adjusting early to new bed time and wake up times and by making sure your child knows all the rules both for safety and for the school year your child will find it easier to transition during those first few hectic days of school. By following these few back to school tips you help your child get off to a great start.
Looking for that perfect back to school gear? We offer a wide range of Back to School Gift Ideas to help you find that perfect gift to encourage your child for a new school year. Our gifts are also Customizable and range from a large variety of products including our popular Graduation and Custom Pens and gift sets. Visit our site today for special deals and savings.