Back to School: Helpful Transition Tips for Parents

For some parents, children are going off to school in August, for others it's September, either way parents need to deal with the transition of getting their child from the playground to school. Another nine months of learning inside an academic institution. Here are some tips on how to help your children get back into school-mode:

1. Develop a regular sleeping pattern. I know for me summer was the best time to stay up late and get up late. This was the time to do the things during the day that I didn't get a chance to do when school was in session. A regular sleeping pattern will help increase discipline in your child, but also, for you! Getting a good night's sleep for everyone in the house will definitely help the morning not be so dreadful for anyone involved.

2. Eat a good breakfast. I'm sure you're familiar with the age-old adage - breakfast is the most important meal of the day! For your child this is definitely the case. It's the first chance you as a parent have of putting some good food inside of your child before they're in that building for the next few hours.

3. Establish some play-time for your child. Just because summer is over doesn't mean play-time has to end. It'll help transition if you develop some family activities throughout the school week. There's nothing worse than waiting for it to be Friday afternoon and it is Sunday night. It's healthy to have something to look forward to in the day if school in and of itself is not very appealing. Create activities to help your children be excited about coming home in the afternoon.

4. Get your child involved in housework. Yes, that six-letter word... chores. How could this be a health tip? It's the easiest, cost-efficient, non-scheduled form of indoor exercise your children will probably get. You can burn a lot of calories just by doing housework!

5. Prepare a well-balanced lunch for your child. Include fruit, healthy snacks, and water in their lunch from time to time. I'm sure a child is used to just getting things out of the refrigerator when they're at home, but at school those options aren't present. It's either cafeteria food or what you provide for them.

6. Impart into your children good words and thoughts. That actually starts with you, parent. If you're complaining about the start of school and how it impacts your schedule, your child will follow. You have a part in hyping up the beginning of the school year. More than likely your child may not be looking forward to summer to end, but you can bring out the highlights - meeting old friends they didn't get to see in summer, new teachers, new experiences, better field trips, etc.

7. Insert "quiet time" into the day. Parents, you need this too! Create a time where you do your best not to plan anything, do anything, catch up on anything, just... chill out! There needs to be some part of every day where whatever is, just is. Breath deeply, maybe go outside and look into the sky. Perhaps you're into meditating and reflecting, take some time for that. Maybe the best time is right before you go to sleep. Maybe it's when you first get up in the morning. Whenever that time is, make sure you exercise that time.

8. Make sure everything is in order for your child to go back to school. All doctor's appointments, all medical clearances, all academic requirements need to be in place before your child goes back to school. There's nothing more stressful than doing things at the last-minute! I know in June your child is excited about getting out, the last thing they're thinking about is going back in. For some parents, it's the last thing they're thinking about as well, but that's the best time to prepare them to go back. If you've been guilty of last-minute preparations, there's always next year.