Back to School
Back to school season is upon us. How did summer come and go so quickly!? Just as we get our summer routines situated, it’s time to switch it up for the new school year. We know that as the time draws closer we want to find ways to help the start of school go as smoothly as possible since the schedule changes can be a challenge for the whole family. We have some tips to make the transition go a little smoother, not just for the kids but for parents and nannies too!
Sleep & Bedtime
Oh boy. We know this struggle far too well. Schedules become more relaxed in the summer and bedtime can become a bit later than what is needed to be for school. We spoke with Dr. Brynn Dredla, a Sleep Neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, who offered some excellent advice for making sure the whole family is prepared for the upcoming changes. “Making sleep a priority is key for ensuring your child has a good transition back to school. As a parent you must prioritize sleep so your child has enough sleep time and ideally, they sleep during a time that is inline with their bodies. I recommend getting up at the same time every day (yes, all 7 days of the week). This allows your body to get into a rhythm and have less difficulty transitioning back to school on Monday. With summer break, I advise starting this ideally a week prior to school start time. Begin by waking up 15 minutes earlier each day to help adjust until desired rise time is achieved. Also, minimize light/stimulation within 2 hours of bedtime. It is key to stay consistent and routined.”
Dr. Dredla also shared this link from The American Academy of Sleep Medicine for more information.
First Time Kiddos
If this is your little one’s first year at daycare or school, or they’re starting at a new school, talk with them about what to expect as soon as possible. Reading books about going to school can help prepare them for what their day may look like. For the little ones that are more captivated by videos, YouTube can be a great resource to share what school can look like.
Some schools offer trial days or meet and greets. Walking through the halls and visiting the classrooms can help ease the fear of being in an unknown setting come the first day of school, so be sure to put them on your calendar!
If your kids will be riding a bus for the first time, show them pictures of a school bus and find books about riding a bus. Again, familiarizing them with the process can help promote confidence when it’s time for action!
If you know of other students that will be in your child’s class, setting up a playdate before school starts, will give them some familiar faces when they walk into class.
If your child has any special needs or major allergies, the school and teachers need to know. It's best to let them know before school starts and send a note the first day as well to remind them.
You can find books on all things Going to School here.
Shopping
Back to school shopping isn’t for the faint of heart! Those aisles can be a scary place. Having your lists ready can be your saving grace so you don’t have to make multiple trips. While you have your class supply list, don’t forget to add items that may need to be replaced. Sometimes we don’t realize just how worn backpacks, water bottles, and lunchboxes can get! Don’t even get us started on clothing - those growth spurts seem to happen overnight! Be sure to try on any school uniforms or shoes to see if they still fit. Ideally, try to get your shopping in between July 25th and August 7th because that’s Back to School Tax Free Week.
Also, be on the lookout for any partnerships that stores have with your children’s school. Some schools have sent their class supply lists to nearby stores and you can simply place a drive up order.
Kids will be kids, so things being left behind is very likely. Be sure to label everything your child takes to school. You can find an assortment of labels on our amazon list, including the highly recommended no iron labels. For safety reasons, we suggest putting initials instead of full first and last names on all your children’s items.
Lunch/ Snack Food
Kids can be rather picky from time to time. We’ve learned that having your children join in on grocery shopping and picking out different foods for their snacks and lunches helps promote independence and they are more likely to eat those foods. To help encourage healthy eating, letting them pick out the fruits and vegetables for the week can get them excited to choose from a menu they’ve selected. You could even have the little ones help pack their lunch the night before. Check out pinterest for new or different ideas for their lunches. Reusable napkins, bags, and tupperware are a great way to cut down on cost and help save the environment. Be sure to have your kids practice opening these items that you use in their lunch!
Lunch idea pictures courtesy of Megan Reardon
Orzo and feta salad with falafel, strawberry banana chips, hummus, carrots, and broccoli
Cream cheese filled sweet peppers, pretzels, strawberries, carrots, cheese, and hummus
Tuna fish salad, green bell peppers, cheese cubes, grapes, garlic naan crackers and a chocolate chip cookie.
Waffles, sausage, strawberries, coconut, and strawberry applesauce
Tuna melt, hard boiled eggs, broccoli, pickles, strawberries, and ranch dressing.
Pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs, sweet potato fries, pickles, and berries.
Palak paneer, dahl puri, cucumber, mango, grapes, and ranch dressing.
The perfect finishing touch in any lunch is adding a little word of encouragement for them to find. You can print them off or order from prime and have them ready on days when you feel your kid needs some extra love and encouragement.
Luckily for you, we have encouragement cards and our go to bento boxes/ lunch boxes saved for you here.
When it comes to afternoon snacks, we suggest dedicating a drawer/shelf/bin in your fridge and pantry to kid friendly snacks they can help themselves. This creates independence and helps promote their desire in having a say in what to eat. A helpful tip to motivate our picky ones to choose healthier snacks is getting in the routine of having them pick a “healthy snack” (snacks from the fridge i.e. fruits/ veggies) first before having a “pantry snack” (pre-portioned crackers etc in baggies).
Be prepared for the first two weeks of school; your child will come home overstimulated, exhausted and probably hungry. If you pick them up from their school or bus stop, having a snack ready at pick up can help tremendously in eliminating afternoon grumps that can feel inevitable at times.
Some easy snacks: banana, apple, apple sauce pouches, goldfish, pretzels, granola bars etc
Good Homework/Study Habits & Area
It's important to set your kids up for success. Having a designated homework/study area for your child will help. It should be somewhere quiet where they’re able to spread out and focus. We suggest letting your kiddos relax or play for 30 minutes before starting to give their brain a bit of a break. If they have a hard time focusing, set a “focus time” for 10 minutes to do their work, with a 3 minute break (with toys prepped and put to the side) before starting again.
School Calendar
When you receive the school calendar for the year, make sure you input all the school holidays and early releases in your calendar or planner. For those with multiple kids in activities, the MomaGenda is a wonderful tool where you can jot down specific reminders or events and is organized per kid.
Last but not least, document that first day of school! It’s mind boggling how quickly they grow in just the span of a school year. Below you can find a print out to download for free to commemorate the start of the year & look back on! We’d love to see them!
Be sure to tag #904Nannies in your post!
You can find the downloadable file here
Whether your kids are thrilled to go back to school or more apprehensive for the changes coming up, you can help ease the transition, we can only prepare so much. But, what truly matters is that your kiddos know that when they come home, they have someone to come home to who will listen to their ups and downs of the day.
