Happy Labor Day! I can't believe I have a third grader and a preschooler this year. If your kiddos are going back to school tomorrow too, you might be navigating some back to school angst. I wanted to share our tips to help our kiddos feel prepared to go back to their routine.
1. Plan ahead: Be organized for that first day of school. Make sure you have everything ready the night before. It's will make that first morning less challenging. They will be nervous and being late or not being able to find something will just make things worse. I usually plan their favorite breakfast for the first day of school too. It varies from season to season and it gets them all excited. Right now they like anything chocolate, so I have a batch of their favorite chocolate muffins ready for them.
2. If their sleeping schedules are a little off, try to adjust them gradually as you approach back to school. Getting a good night sleep definitely helps them. I have to say, we have made so much progress with Lucas this summer. He's now going down by 8:30!
3. Plan a fun activity for after that first day. There is a great ice cream shop right across Nahia's school and we make sure we visit after the first and last days of school. It gives her something fun to look forward to on that first day and it's also a very fun way to kick off her summer.
4. Talk about it! Don't dismiss their feelings or make them seem silly. Tell them it's okay to feel nervous and remind them that other kids will be feeling the same. If you can have some midsummer play dates, go for them! It's a great way for the kiddos to feel connected to their school friends during the long break.
5. Model behavior. In my case, since I'm a teacher, we all go back to school at the same time. If they see me excited, they will be excited so that's what I try to do. When they are little, drop offs can get challenging on those first days. Try your best to remain calm even through the meltdowns. It's tough, I know, but it does help. With the younger ones, try not to delay goodbyes at drop off. It does not help them. We learned that with Nahia. They need to see that you are okay dropping them off.
What are your tips to help your kids navigate any back to school angst? I'd love to hear!
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