Preparing Your Child for the Return to School After Summer Vacation

Summer vacation is a time for fun, relaxation and no set schedule. At least that's how it is with our family. My husband is active-duty military, I'm a stay-at-home mom, and we have one child who will soon be entering second grade. We do manage to keep a somewhat "normal" schedule during the school year but come summertime and our schedule goes out the window. The reason we do not have a set schedule during the summer is that each day is an adventure in itself. Friends and relatives are able to visit more often now that school is out and they can coincide their visit to our house as a part of their vacation. (We live near Washington DC and many other historical places such as Civil War battlefields.) Another reason, we're on vacation ourselves. We've made trips to the grandparents' house (sometimes as long as a week), which is a few hours away, a local amusement park (thanks to an online contest), Colonial Williamsburg (We have to at least try to work an educational experience in.), a soon to be trip to the beach after which we'll swing by for at least one more visit to Nannie and Papa's, and whatever opportunity may come our way before the start of school. With all that's going on, it is easy to forget that the start of school is just around the corner.

The following is a list of ways our family prepares our little one for the start of school.

Reintroduce a Scheduled Bedtime

If your child is used to going to bed at 10:00 pm in the summer and goes to bed at 8:30 pm during the school year, then you will have to get them used to going to bed early again. This will take a few weeks of adjustments on both you and your child's part. Start with a semi-scheduled routine that was consistent with last year's bedtime. (Snack, bath, books, and then bedtime.) About two and a half weeks before school, try putting your child to bed just a little earlier. If they're used to going to bed at 10 PM then try having them in bed at 8:45 PM and read a few bedtime stories to them. After a week try readjusting the schedule by putting them to bed at 8 PM and reading them their stories. Your nighttime routine will be back in place before you know it. We've used this method for the past two years and are hoping it will work again.

Reintroduce an Alarm Clock

I admit it, after my husband leaves for work I usually go back to sleep and we do not set an alarm clock in the summer. So as you can imagine, this is the part that I'm dreading the most. This works under the same principle as reintroducing bedtime. Set the alarm just a little earlier a few weeks ahead of time and keep setting it earlier each morning until you're back at your regular back to school wake-up time. Try to have your wake-up time adjusted at least a week before school. Waking up early really takes some getting used too. Also, make sure if your child rides the bus to school that you know the scheduled route and pick-up and drop-off times. It's likely with rising fuel costs that some adjustments have been made.

Review Last Years Seat Work

We try and do a few worksheets each week so that our daughter will not forget all that she has learned in first grade. We practice reading, spelling, and basic math. (For my daughter addition comes much easier than subtraction so we put extra effort there.)

Remember Their Classmates

Try to host a few play dates throughout the summer and make sure you child attends a few. You do not want them losing touch with their friends. Cliques form even in elementary school. Don't let your child be left out.

Open House

Please don't miss Open House if one is being hosted at your child's school. Even though it is not mandatory to attend this is the best opportunity for you and your child to meet the teacher and become familiar with their new classmates before the start of school. I always come armed with questions such as daily and weekly class schedules, lunch time, if the teacher has any special requests, and by the time I leave I have a pretty good "warm fuzzy" feeling about the upcoming year. By knowing the schedule ahead of time, you're also able to help your child know what to expect about the upcoming days.

Summer is almost over, is your family ready for the start of school?