Establishing a Routine Which Will Work For Your
Family
Don't be one of those harried parents scrambling to
buy uniform, last minute school supplies and shoes! Although it can be
incredibly difficult to get back into the routine of school days after
the long summer, if you follow our tips you can ease your whole family
back into term-time without too much anxiety.
Make some lists!
Make one list per child. Include absolutely everything he or she will
need for their first day of school such as lunch boxes, gym clothes, and
school supplies. Your Kindergartener will have different needs than your
sixth grader so it helps to plan ahead. Tick things off your list as you
purchase or get them ready. Remember to name all items in good time,
too!
Establish a Bedtime Routine
A few days before school starts try to start establishing a bed time
routine. If your kids already have one that’s great but if you’ve been a
little relaxed over the summer break it’s probably best to slowly get
them back into the routine. Talk about the importance of getting enough
sleep so that they can feel good at school and try to stick to a
schedule. There is nothing worse than over-tired, cranky kids and you
will do them no favors if you allow them to start the school year this
way!
Use Your Calendar
Make sure you have a good size calendar put up in a prominent place in
your kitchen, or use your day planner strictly! Write down any important
dates such as teacher parent meetings or deadlines for taking things in
to school. During the first days especially you’ll be getting lots of
notes and reminders so it’s good to have a system in place before school
starts.
Daily Planner
Once you know your daily routine, print out one of our planners and use
it to plot your week and remind you what essentials need to go in with
the kids each day. Even if you feel like you are doing it all for them
when they are young, kids will soon begin to take responsibility for
getting ready for school - and you can send even the youngest child off
to check the list every morning to make sure you have everything you
need.
Schedule Tasks
Family life doesn’t always go to plan but try to set a schedule for
certain tasks such as homework. Plan ahead so that you can fit in
homework and dinner times around the kid’s extracurricular activities
without having to rush too much. Kids get tired and if they’re rushing
from one place to the other, they will be less than agreeable when they
then need to sit down and do their homework. If in doubt, do less! Kids
don't need to be occupied at every moment of their waking day, and
everyone will be less stressed if you are not rushing and late for all
your appointments!
Plan Your Meals Too
Spending an hour once a week planning ahead for the week's meals can
help you save money shopping and - of course - time! If you don't manage
that, at least try to spend 2 minutes first thing thinking about what
you will prepare for a meal that evening! It is too easy to resort to
takeout and kids (and adults) who eat a lot of takeout do not perform at
their best.
Plan Ahead
Preparing things the night before will alleviate a lot of morning
stress. Leave your kids clothes ready for the next day, pre-pack their
lunches and make sure their school bags are packed. Come morning, both
you and the kids will be a lot more relaxed if you don’t have to rush.
Surviving The Winter Blues - A
Family Prescription By the middle of winter most of us desperately need a trip south. It's dark,
it's cold, and life looks bleak. Learn the five keys to bringing sunshine back
into your family, including planning family times, putting first things first,
and getting organized!
Garage sales (and car boot sales) are a great way to clear out your clutter
while raising some extra cash for the family. Kacy offers some great tips for
organizing the garage sale process in this article. How To Prepare For A Garage Sale
