For those of you who are getting ready to go back to school here are some Practical Tips for Back to School Routines to make the transition from summer to school go smoothly. The biggest tip I can suggest is to establish routines. It’s so important for kids to have routines so that your life and theirs can be somewhat peaceful. In our home, the routines seemed to go out the window in the summer. I need to get things back under control. Here are a few of my tips to do that.
~Set a Bedtime.
Web MD recommends the following guidelines:
3-6 Years Old: 10 – 12 hours per day
7-12 Years Old: 10 – 11 hours per day
12-18 Years Old: 8 – 9 hours per day
I don’t know about you but I can ALWAYS tell when my boys have not had enough sleep. So two weeks before school starts I start getting them to bed earlier and earlier easing them back into their school bedtime.
~Know what you are going to have for breakfast tomorrow the night before.
This tip is the reason I did a post on 25 Make Ahead Breakfasts. With breakfast being the most important meal of the day and knowing mornings can be very chaotic if we prepare ahead we can keep the chaos down.
~Pack lunches before bed.
With my boys not having a hot lunch program, we pack lunches every day. If you need help in this area you can check out my post on Sandwich-less Lunches. Something I want to do is to set up a Lunch Packing station.
I Heart Organizing.
My boys wear uniforms so this isn’t really an issue for us. I have a clothes organizer like the white one pictured below that I put pants, shirts, socks, and underwear in so when they get out of the shower they can grab their clothes and get ready. My daughter has one of these for each of her girls that have days of the week on and she lays clothes out on Sunday for the whole week. While you’re at it lay out your clothes for the next day as well. Definitely a time saver.
– gym clothes, homework, and any special supplies needed for that next day.
There have been many mornings where we are running around trying to find that. Doing it the night before definitely keeps the chaos down.
Another thing we have had problems with is missing coats and shoes when it comes time to walk out the door. I have one boy, in particular, that will kick his shoes off where ever he is or throw his jacket somewhere and can’t remember where. I created my door to help each boy to have a “home” for their backpack and coat. Shoes have a home underneath the door.
If your children are playing sports or music and need to practice here are some printable practice sheets.
The Ultimate Back to School ResourceBack to School Organization
My Back to School Organization
Back to School Muffin Tin Recipes
Back to School Clothing Checklist
#1 Things Kids Need as they go Back to School
Practical Tips for Back to School Routines
First Day of School Photo Opportunities
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