Routines can help ease back-to-school stress
My name is Leah Boon, and I am the new school counselor at Spencer Elementary School.
I would like to share some information with you regarding routines and ways that you can ease back to school stress for your family.
Returning after summer can be very stressful, especially when things start going back to normal after these years with COVID. We got out of our routines during summer and now must adjust our lives to ease the back-toschool stress. It is for this reason that I have prepared some tips for you.
Tip # 1 -- Talk to your children.
Start by establishing a conversation about what will happen, how many days, and the exact beginning date of school or the activity in general.
Speak naturally and ask your child questions about school and their learning.
Children should feel pride in their school day as they accomplish a great deal and work very hard.
Tip # 2 Involve your child in activities.
Extracurriculars give kids a wellrounded education, but there’s a fine line between just enough activities to balance academics and going too far. If they get in the way of family time or cut out daily free play, you can be sure your kid has too many extracurriculars. Make sure your child has free time and time to play.
Tip # 3 Create regular sleep patterns.
What time should children go to bed? What time should adults go to bed? The goal is to be on time, rested, and ready to learn or go to work. A tired body is a stressed body resulting in trouble walking, thinking, and moving. It is an uncomfortable and angry body. The body must rest at least 8 hours; did you know that the recommended amount of sleep for school aged children is 9-12 hours? We also strongly recommend to parents screen-free bedrooms: There should be no screens in the bedroom, and children generally shouldn’t view a screen for two hours before bedtime.
Tip # 4 Establish a morning routine as a family and stick to it Find a way to get up early before the family and wake everyone up. Practice grooming, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, packing up all the things you need. Announce to everyone the departure time for bus pick-up and drop off.
Tip # 5 Be prepared.
Organize the clothes being worn for the week, or you can do it daily, facilitating the morning preparation process. If you are fixing the children’s clothes, they must be part of the selection process. We want to create structured children with a voice, who develop their personality, but at the same time know that it is to be approved by an adult.
Tip # 6 Establish Routines, Eating Habits, Meal preps, or budget Begin to establish routines and mealtimes, such as when your child goes to school and what they will have for breakfast. Prepare food or menus for the week; it is not wrong to eat light meals for lunch, such as a peanut butter sandwich or fresh veggies and fruit. Try your best to eat at least one meal together, daily with your family.
Tip # 7 Items ready near the exit door It is very stressful not to find items you need before going out, and it can cause frustration, anger, fights, and much more. Designate an area in the home to drop off items to take away before leaving home. This way, the things are in one place and ready to go, stress-free in the morning.
Spencer Elementary Guidance Counselor Leah Boon
