Going Back to School? 5 Tips to Get Your Students Ready

Switching up schedules, gathering supplies, and preparing to face new educational challenges can be stressful for students and parents alike, especially when you are also saying goodbye to summer. Some years the transition is easier than others, but there are some things we can do to help our children start the school year off on a good note. 

1. Get Back into Their School Routine Before School Begins

One way to prep kids for a return to school is by getting them on a schedule they will have during the academic year. If the kids wake up at 6:00 am and go to sleep at 9:00 pm during the school year, then get them back in this routine a week or two prior to classes starting. If they have after-school chores, have them do them at the time they will do them once school resumes. This minimizes the adjustments that will take place once school starts, allowing them to focus more on their new classes.

2. Build Up Their Mental Stamina Prior to Classes Starting

You don’t want your kid’s brain feeling fatigued after only the first week of school. To combat this, build up their mental endurance starting a few weeks before school begins. This doesn’t have to be anything intense, but by increasing the amount of time they spend reading, writing, memorizing, and engaging their minds can help them strengthen their attention spans and mental capacity, which can ease the transition from summer days to sitting in classes. 

3. Get Organized

Make sure uniforms fit and are ready to go a week or two before. Get the necessary school supplies ready beforehand, with everything set to go for that first day back. Not only will seeing a backpack full of their necessary supplies help them mentally prepare, but it can also prevent the stress caused by last minute rushing. 

4. Encourage a Positive Mindset by Focusing on the Benefits

Students can often have a bleak mindset when returning to school because they miss the freedom of summer, but by reinforcing the importance of the role education will play in their life, you can help them see its necessity. While there are some who look forward to it, many kids would give all they have if it meant prolonging the end of summer a couple of weeks. However, you can help set the stage for how they see going back to school. Even if it may not be exciting for them, reinforcing its importance to their future can help them see that it is an essential step for them to grow as a person, instilling in them the irreplaceable role education plays in their development.

5. Offer Moral Support

You know your children better than anyone else, and thus likely know what they are looking forward to as well as what they are dreading with the return to school. Consider what aspects of school they struggled with the previous year, and figure out a plan for how to overcome whatever issues they may have faced. Knowing they have your understanding and support will help to ease their overall stress levels, and help them have a more positive outlook as they approach the new academic year.