Many felt remarkably out of their depth while homeschooling during lockdown, but it was still enjoyable. Some kids may have already returned to school to complete their year, and while that is now finished, it won’t be long until they’re right back in the classroom for the new year. Getting the kids ready to go back to school might be bittersweet for plenty of parents, as it does every year. But if you want to guarantee they’re prepared for everything.
Create a Study Station
It can be tough for children to shift away from school holiday mode back into school mode. They will come home and be itching to flick on the TV or fire up the games console. But, depending on their age, they’ll have homework to do, and if they’ve never had to do homework before, it can come as quite a shock to the system. A study station will give them a dedicated place to complete any work without feeling the call of the console, which you can remind them will still be there when they’re finished.
Get The Supplies
From backpacks to pencils and their PE kit, making sure you have all the supplies ready their first day back will help them adjust back to school life much more comfortably. If they have all the stationery and books, they won’t waste time asking to borrow extras from friends or the teachers, and they will come across as being ready to learn. Being unprepared for any lesson, whether Science, Maths, English, or PE means they will miss out on vital information that will help their education.
Don’t Forget the Essentials
But it’s not just pens and pencils you need to remember, there are also things like their school uniform, especially if they’ve moved up from Primary to Secondary school. Wearing the right uniform will keep them out of trouble with teachers, which would be a bad start to any year. Furthermore, if they have concentration issues, it might be worth speaking to doctors, audiologists or opticians who can recommend solutions from places like https://www.eyeglasses.com that will allow your kids to focus better on the lesson.
Connect With Their Teachers
If you already know who their teacher will be next year, it might be worth reaching out to introduce yourself, so they know who you are. Most parents will avoid this as they don’t want to come across as one of those overbearing mums or dads who insert themselves into every issue at school. However, if your child is starting school, or you know they can be a little challenging to deal with, touching base with their new teacher will help you to start building a relationship early.
Research the Curriculum
Parents should always try to help their kids with homework where possible (without outright doing it for them, of course), but you’ll not be able to do that if you don’t understand anything they are studying. Knowing all about the curriculum will help you keep up with what your child is learning. You won’t have the time to study alongside them, you’ve got your own responsibilities, after all, but you can still get an idea of which topics are covered so you can offer a hand if your child starts to struggle.
Plan Out Their Meals
Nutrition is a crucial part of being successful in school, and even though school meals endeavour to make your child’s lunch as healthy as possible, there’s no guarantee that your child will eat it all. You know their tastes better than school anyway, and this allows you to adjust their lunches to suit them. There’s no point in paying for school meals if they won’t eat it all. But, as you know that they will eat all their packed lunch, you can feel confident sending them off to school.
Get Them Back Into a Routine
It can be difficult to shift from holiday mode into school mode, especially if it feels as sudden as this year might do. In the weeks leading up to their First Day Back, try to shift them from their holiday routine into one they’ll need to be in for the rest of the year. This means having dinner on the dot every night and consistent bedtime to help them get comfortable with what their life will be like going forward.
Figure Out the Tricky Things
Even if your kids have been going to school for years and you feel you have the school run down, there are plenty of things that can get in your way. Maybe you’ve started a new job and can’t take them to school anymore. Perhaps they’ve started at a new school in the other direction to where you’re usually going. Whatever it is, you need to figure out how to overcome them.
Be Patient With Them
Kids will rarely look forward to going back to school, even if this drama only lasts a few minutes. They will also be lazy and reluctant to get ready in the morning no matter how many times you have to nag them. With the year being as weird as it is, they deserve some patience, so don’t be too hard on them while they’re still getting back into the groove.
Go On One Last Trip
What better way to end the summer and prepare for the new year than by taking one last family trip somewhere? Of course, it’s unlikely you’ll want to go abroad, but there are still plenty of campsites and seaside resorts all over the country for you and your family to enjoy. If you don’t feel comfortable going away (which is perfectly understandable), make the last few weeks at home as fun as possible with day trips, the chance to see friends, and playtime whenever they feel like it (within reason, obviously).
Back to School
Your kids are unlikely to be too excited about going back to school, especially when many might feel they were just there. However, while they may still kick and scream, wanting to play on their Xbox or watch endless Tik Tok videos, they enjoy it, at least deep down.
