KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – It’s Back to School Time!
One of the most important things to establish before school starts is their sleep schedules. Start at least two weeks before school starts. We all let bedtimes go to the wayside with parties and other activities that often end past usual bedtimes. Ensuring children get enough sleep contributes immensely to their ability to learn. Elementary all the way to high school students need at LEAST 8 preferably 10 hours of sleep at night. Each child should have their own alarm and have the responsibility of making sure it’s set each night. Encourage children to pick out their clothes for the next day. For girls especially this takes a lot of crazy out of the morning.
School lunches can be a rushed job in the morning. It’s a good idea to at least start the process the night before. Designate an area in the refrigerator for lunch fixings. Have juice boxes, yogurts, individually bagged fruit and veggies like grapes and carrot sticks. Help the kids make healthy choices but don’t forget a treat.
Homework can often be difficult and contentious. Provide a quiet, clutter free area for the kids to do their homework. Preferably out of sight from TVs or video games. Have pencils and other supplies handy and keep them organized. Set homework time. It can vary depending on after school and family schedules, but try to do as early in the evening as possible when children are still attentive and not too tired. Do set time for relaxation and play. Too often these go by the wayside with busy schedules.
In our busy lives it’s easy to miss something important. With even younger children having phones and tablets everyone seems to have their own calendar. Parents, set aside a few minutes later on Sunday to make sure everyone has their calendar synced up with the main family one. This is the time to designate where and when everyone needs to be and how they are going to get there. Better to work it out now than a ½ hour before an activity.
Carve out family time during the week. Even if it is only an hour to watch a program together that is still beneficial. If you can do a longer activity let kids take turns choosing the activity. Bike riding, playing basketball or table games are possibilities. Museums and historical sights are also great for family bonding time and learning too!
Go through their backpacks daily if possible. Check their work. Ask them what needs attention like permission slips or sign offs on reading times, etc. Kids will inevitably forget items that need to be taken care of and it makes morning chaos manageable. The one thing that kids need to be responsible for is their lunch box! Nobody wants to smell yesterday’s yogurt container or sandwich leftovers.
A little planning and forethought is all it takes to make your kids’ school life more productive and successful and at the same time ease much of the stress on parents. Even children as young as 5 or 6 can learn to stick to a schedule and do simple tasks like putting their lunch box in the kitchen and prepare their outfits for the next day.
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
