Another summer is wrapping up as the back to school commercials come rolling in. Even though your kids may be going through denial as they refuse to believe that a whole summer has come and gone, it doesn’t change the fact that school is still right around the corner for them. While they grieve, here are some things that you can do to prepare!

Getting Ready for Early Mornings Again!

If your kids have been staying up late and sleeping in this summer, you may need to help get them back into the habit of going to bed and waking up earlier. It may take more than a night to get them adjusted, so start easing into it a couple weeks before school. You don’t need to immediately jump to their school routine, but slowly making them go to bed and wake up earlier and earlier each week until school starts can help them get right back on track! 

They will complain and probably not like you for it, but it will help them so much in the long run so persevere! Something that you can do that could help them are nice relaxing activities at the end of their day to help them wind down before bed. That can be something like a bath, reading a book, or a prayer time! You can even use this time to just sit there with them in bed holding them and talking to them whether that be about their day or what’s on their mind. 

Shopping for School Supplies

Another way to help prepare your kids for school is by taking them shopping for school supplies. Allow them the independence to pick out their own supplies (with reason of course) and just have fun with it! It may be an everyday errand for you, but you can easily make it into so much more for your kids! A lesson about money management? Give them a budget and have them do their best to stick to it. This gives you an opportunity to teach them how they can use math in the real world and also see the surprise on their faces when they realize that taxes are a thing! 

Lay Out the Year for Them

A lot of kids like to be in the know when it comes to what they are doing. So, instead of just pushing them into a brand new school year and letting them figure it out, take some time to sit with them and answer any questions they may have. They may have a new teacher they don’t know much about. They may be worried about a specific class or even extracurriculars. The thing is that you won’t know unless you have that conversation with them. You are then able to clear up anything as well as establish what their daily routine can look like!

Get Excited!

Okay yes, the first day back at school is far less exciting than the first day of summer vacation, but school is very important. Make sure they really do understand that, and give them something that they can look forward to! If you’re up for it, throw one last super fun get together and do something they love! When I was still in grade school, my parents would throw a big pool party to get us ready for the school year. They would invite all my cousins, and we would just have a blast before jumping back into our school routine. Then, after the first day of school, we would get ice cream and I’d tell them all about my new teachers, classes, and friends that I made that day! Whatever it is for your family, I hope your summer has been pleasant, and I hope your school year is even better!