Back to School Routines:
Welcome back! The beginning of the school year is an exciting time full of opportunities and new possibilities. Students are getting used to new routines while connecting with friends and making new ones. There are many things that we can do to assist our children with the best possible start to the new year. Here are some tips to help your child transition successfully back to school:
- Scale back the bedtime hour to allow your child to have plenty of rest. Begin bedtime with at least fifteen minutes earlier than you would normally to help them get used to the new routines. With so many new activities each day, sleep is even more important.
- Ensure your child eats a nutritious breakfast to start the day on a positive, energetic note. Bringing healthy snacks and a healthy lunch to school is helpful to get through the day.
- Create a dedicated place in your home for your child’s backpack and homework. This way, both you and your child will know where everything can be found on a daily basis.
- Develop your weekday routines. Practice them with your family to know where homework will take place at. Having a designated routine helps your child gain responsibility quickly.
- Communicate with your child’s classroom teacher. Learn what school or classroom expectations need to be reinforced at home to help them be successful at school.
- Designate a time each week to follow the classroom website with your child. This will help you know what activities and events are taking place each week, while giving your child the opportunity to be proud to share his/her classroom experience with you.
- Monitor your child’s screen time. With the school routine in place, there will be less unstructured time overall. Create some healthy boundaries with your child’s screen time in your home.
- Ask your child about the new friends they are making in their class and encourage them to continue to reach out to others. Remind them that making friends takes more than one attempt. It is important to remember that everyone is adjusting to the new start of the year and it is a great opportunity for new connections to be made. The GWA staff will be assisting with the process of helping students feel connected to the school, the class and each other.
The counselors are available to help the students settle into the school year, especially if they are new to GWA. If you have any questions about these tips please contact us. We are very excited about the school year and look forward to working with you.