Preparing for a new routine, especially one as daunting as the start of the school year, can come with a lot of pressure. The pressure to be perfectly acquainted with the responsibilities of getting yourself and your children up at earlier times and sending them into a new situation can be daunting. How do you make sure they are ready and have what they need without weighing them down, leaving them feeling like a bookbag stuffed to the brim with everything and anything. Whether it’s acclimating to a previous schedule or creating a completely new one, the transition can be accomplished simply by easing tension and starting slow.
Easier said than done, so let’s say it!
Having family conversations around the future is a great way to start.
Here, we can set boundaries and realistic expectations to align goals and allow everyone’s emotions to feel heard.
Validation can go far for a child’s emotional development and self-esteem, so allowing them to participate in decision making can make them feel more included and in control.
Eradicating the fear of the unknown for either party is a huge contribution to how productive the routine will be.
Rome wasn’t built in a day
As summer slows, it would be a great choice to reset body clocks with earlier bedtimes and wake ups. Setting a calm nighttime routine following dinner with early showers, pajamas, and reading can reduce anxiety and increase energy levels when school begins. Including ourselves and our children in this nighttime routine can establish inclusivity and a sense of equality among ages without condemning an early night as something for only little kids.
To reintroduce an excitement for learning, watching educational shows and reading books about school can initiate familiarity with a school setting. Prompting memories of activities and subjects they enjoyed last year can be helpful to focus more on facts of past experiences than “what if’s”. Recreating these activities can help resurface muscle memory, allowing the routine to feel more comfortable when in full swing. Including our families in planning and making lunches for the upcoming school year is a great way to test out ideas and see what will be a hit or miss for the year.
Don’t Shelf Self-Care
It is crucial to remember a back-to-school routine doesn’t focus solely on our children’s needs. The major contributing factor to a successful plan is our execution. Our children model behavior, including emotional responses to distressing situations, so communication invites an open dialogue about how we’re feeling and how our actions represent those feelings. Using tools, such as the Social Emotional Development Workbook, helps to lead conversations in a comfortable space. Being on a level playing field with our children can eliminate distress signals and allow us both to neutralize threats. Being at the same height is a great way to relax defensive posture and send a message to our brains that we are safe. Productively expressing emotions may require respite in the form of alone time. Self-care is not selfish and will allow us to be more emotionally secure in our relationships in the long run.
Summer has been a blast and so will the school year, so don’t discount your abilities to tackle a new routine!