First Day Prep

I know that it's coming.  There it is on my calendar:  The First Day of School.  Yet I never feel ready.  It always sneaks up on me, hiding behind family trips or last minute pool parties, until ... Gotcha!  I'm scrambling to buy lunch bags and binders, everyone is up way too late, and no one is ready in the morning.

Does this sound familiar?  Here are some tips for easing the transition from summer days to school days.  Many are for all age groups, a few are more geared towards older or younger children.  Please add your own suggestions in the comments!

Before School Starts:

• Resist overdoing the back-to-school shopping.  Children usually have sufficient clothing for the first weeks of school.  Focus on obtaining the necessary school supplies and reviewing dress code policy.  
• Call the school to confirm that you have all the necessary paperwork completed and signed.
• Reset bedtimes and mealtimes so that everyone is on the right schedule by the first day of school.
• Arrange playdates with classmates if possible to easy those first day jitters.
• Turn off the TV especially in the morning to re-establish a morning learning routine - encourage reading, library or museum trips, board games, or family exploratory walks.
• Establish a homework spot for your child.  Pay attention to noise, distractions, and lighting.
• Establish a "launch pad" - a place for kids to place backpacks, sports bags, and lunches in the evening to be ready in the morning on the way out the door.
• Set alarms for the morning wake up!  Third or fourth graders and older can have their own alarm clock.  Practice!
• If tardiness is an issue, give your child a stop watch and have him time a trial run.  Analyze the data and plan accordingly (make sure you are running your trial at the right time of day since traffic varies).  How long does breakfast usually take?  How much time should you allot for actually getting out of the door?  How early should you wake up for this all to work?  Kids love this! 
• Review your after school routine - especially with children who are home alone after school or children who have carpool/childcare/dual household schedules that vary from day to day.  You and your child can create a graphic/visual schedule - electronically for the older children, pictorially for the younger.  This can be laminated and pinned inside a backpack with emergency numbers.

The First Week:

• Make lunches ahead in the evening, especially if mornings are rushed.  Children third grade and older can usually handle this task on their own with guidelines.  Review those guidelines before school begins.  Conduct a trial run.
• For the first few weeks, allow for extra time in the mornings.  If you are early, great!
• Since you will want to spend extra time sharing with your child about the first few days of school, plan for simple, healthy meals or make them ahead of time and freeze them.

If Your Child Seems Anxious:

• Try not to over-react.  Listen to your child's concerns and worries with a caring, sympathetic ear.  Share any experiences that you have had starting a new school year or beginning a new job.  Name both your feelings and the physical symptoms that often accompany them:  "I felt nervous with butterflies in my stomach and a shaky voice when I had to introduce myself to the class."  Emphasize how you calmed yourself and that it got better over time.
• Reinforce your child's ability to cope.  Reflect back to him that he is capable and can deal with this challenge.
• Leave a note or two in her lunch box or backpack.
• Plan some get-togethers with classmates to encourage friendships and habits of play.
• Create a "talisman" - a heart-shaped bead, a special temporary tattoo, a small, meaningful object - that you can pack with your child to remind him that you are thinking of him and sending him love and strength.  Discuss this with the teacher in case your child needs to carry it during class or check on it during the day.
• Email or talk to the classroom teacher or the counselor if your child's nervousness doesn't improve after a few days.

This is my favorite time of year - full of expectation, possibility, and community.  It's a time to meditate on how your child is growing and changing.  A time to fully, deeply appreciate the person they are now while pondering how this person will develop in the coming year.  A time to trust your child's abilities and sovereignty.

Welcome back!  It's going to be a magical year!