Back To School Routines!

As a parent, now is the time to create new routines to help your scholar have a successful year ahead. Let’s chat about creating routines.

1)   Breakfast is the meal of champions. Research has shown when people get hungry they become fatigued. When people become fatigued they become sleepy, their working memory decreases, and their ability to sustain attention decreases. Those are cognitive skills students need to engage in learning. If you have a child who does not like eating breakfast, throw a breakfast bar their way as they walk out the door.

2)   Create an after school routine. Homework gets done with less of a struggle when it is done shortly after school. Why? Because what was taught and learned is still fresh in your child’s head. If you child has a lot of homework, spend 45 minutes completing the more challenging homework first and do the easier homework after dinner.

3)   If your child has practice for a league team have your child do their homework prior to going to practice. After practice kids are tired and hungry. Some kids may initially resist this time slot to do homework but they will quickly change their tune about doing homework once they realize you won’t take them to practice until their homework is completed. A good coach will support you on this.

4)   Read! Read! Read! If you or your child don’t know what he or she will enjoy reading go to the library. The library is a great place! Librarians are the best!! Librarians love helping patrons of all ages select books that will entice and engage the reader. Be a role model – pick out a book for yourself. When your child reads you should read, too. You will grow to love this.

5)   Limit screen time of any kind. It’s a new school year. Create the hard, fast rule that there are no cell phones, tablets, video games, or electronics of any sort until homework and reading are completed. Some families have used the privilege of children using technology in clever ways.

1. No screen time until homework is completed.

2. For every minute a child reads they earn a minute of screen time.

3. If all homework and reading is done during the week the student can play video games for three hours on Saturday morning.

4. Screen time is the same time every day.

5. For every minute a child plays outside, they earn half that time on the computer or tablet.

6)   Prepare for the morning the night before! Pack back packs and put in the pre-designated location, lay out clothing to be worn the next day, put hats and mittens with coats, and line up foot wear to be worn. When everything is packed up and laid out the night before, the morning seems to flow with ease because everyone knows where everything is. There is no hunting for things as you’re rushing out the door.

7)   Every night, at a predetermined time, collect all electronics and charge them in your room. Do not leave them with your child for the night.  I would suggest 9:00 PM the latest. Too much nonsense goes on late at night on social media. A lot of social issues and trouble starts then. This will ultimately make its way into school, creating multiple issues that school legally have to address (DASA). Additionally, your child needs his or her sleep. Sleep is so important.