Happy New Year!
As the holidays are winding down, some of us may be secretly relieved to have our children back in school, while others might be dreading the return to the daily school/work/home routine. It is certainly fine to be at anywhere on this continuum, but whatever you are feeling, school is going to restart and it’s time to get back into the routine of things! To help your children (and you!) with this transition, here are some suggestions:
1) Have your children completed all their vacation homework and reading? Have they completed activities recommended by their providers (occupational therapist, speech therapist, etc.)? Taking care of these
activities now will help prevent a battle on the first night before school!
2) Make sure you are prepped for the first week back! Check to see if your children’s school have posted any special announcements on their website.
3) If your children are expressing some frustration about having to return to school, validate their concerns and frustrations. Then remind them what they like about school and…that it’s going to be a shortened week!
4) As difficult as it may be, get back into the routine. This means having your children go to bed earlier and getting up earlier. While vacation sleep time is certainly nice, it’s important to re-establish your regular routine. This responsibility will fall more heavily on you than on your children. It can include such activities as getting out a new calendar, prepping your children’s bookbag, and helping your children feel organized.
5) Remind and practice any scripts your children might have that helps them navigate through their school day,
whether it’s a script for how to approach a group of peers or how to manage lunchtime.
6) Have a conversation about what toys/gifts (if any) are appropriate to be brought into school and
which ones will have to stay at home.
Remember, being proactive will prevent the need for damage control later! It’s certainly a New Year’s Resolution that we can all use.
As the holidays are winding down, some of us may be secretly relieved to have our children back in school, while others might be dreading the return to the daily school/work/home routine. It is certainly fine to be at anywhere on this continuum, but whatever you are feeling, school is going to restart and it’s time to get back into the routine of things! To help your children (and you!) with this transition, here are some suggestions:
1) Have your children completed all their vacation homework and reading? Have they completed activities recommended by their providers (occupational therapist, speech therapist, etc.)? Taking care of these
activities now will help prevent a battle on the first night before school!
2) Make sure you are prepped for the first week back! Check to see if your children’s school have posted any special announcements on their website.
3) If your children are expressing some frustration about having to return to school, validate their concerns and frustrations. Then remind them what they like about school and…that it’s going to be a shortened week!
4) As difficult as it may be, get back into the routine. This means having your children go to bed earlier and getting up earlier. While vacation sleep time is certainly nice, it’s important to re-establish your regular routine. This responsibility will fall more heavily on you than on your children. It can include such activities as getting out a new calendar, prepping your children’s bookbag, and helping your children feel organized.
5) Remind and practice any scripts your children might have that helps them navigate through their school day,
whether it’s a script for how to approach a group of peers or how to manage lunchtime.
6) Have a conversation about what toys/gifts (if any) are appropriate to be brought into school and
which ones will have to stay at home.
Remember, being proactive will prevent the need for damage control later! It’s certainly a New Year’s Resolution that we can all use.