How to prepare your kids for back-to-school?

Back-to-school is always an exciting phase for kids and parents! Kids love seeing friends, learning new things, and showing off their cool gear. Parents feel proud seeing their children grow, and the routine brings calm. But then it's also a time for kids to experience a range of emotions from excitement to fear and anxiety as they transition from summer into the school routine. As a parent, you can do a few essential things to ease your child back into the new routine. When done right, they can shape the rest of the school year into a fun-filled and successful one.

Here is a quick "how to" on preparing children practically and emotionally for the new term.

1. Reset Routines: During summer break, children are on vacation mode. The days are less structured and look much different than a school day. A few weeks is quite a long time to get out of the habit, and now is the time to help children go back to school routine. Start off by making bedtimes earlier and morning lie-ins a bit shorter. Ask them to brush their teeth, wash and get ready for the day once they are up. Pro Tip: Use Mobicip’s screen time scheduler to set a routine for daily activities for your kids.

2. Flex the mental muscles: Summers are times to have a lot of outdoor fun and work on creative projects. As you move on to school reopening, you must involve them in brain-bending activities to sharpen their mental skills. It's also an excellent opportunity to refresh their knowledge of the previous term. This doesn't mean setting tests or boring worksheets but making learning fun. Play sudoku, crossword puzzles, board games, and trivia quizzes.

3. Show your support: A large number of children return to school with feelings of depression and anxiety. Major concerns that make them worried may be bullying, exams, feelings of loneliness, problems with teachers, or saying goodbye to their parents. Start a conversation with your kid about what they think about returning to school. Set goals together for the school year and encourage them to have a positive attitude towards the new term. 

4. Go shopping: Beat the nerves of your children with back-to-school shopping. Getting new school supplies and apparel will uplift the mood of any child. Most schools provide a checklist of supplies needed for the classroom. Discuss with your child and add things they may need in addition to the list, including shoes, clothes, backpacks, water bottles, and so on. Take your child along while going shopping. 

5. Attend parent- orientation aka Open House: Your child will have an overview of their classroom, where they'll sit and who their teacher is and a chance to introduce themselves to the teacher. These dry runs help children and parents know the teacher and the new curriculum, communication method and behavioral norms. When you take time and attend the orientation, you share a message that you are willing to play an active role in their lives.

6. Prioritize Online Privacy: Having open conversations about online privacy and the importance of not sharing personal information even to their best friends can help them be aware and take the right steps. Encourage children to create strong and unique passwords for their accounts. Review privacy settings on social media platforms and other online services. Utilize parental control tools like Mobicip to set boundaries and monitor their online activities. Above all, keep the lines of communication open, so they feel safe discussing any concerns.

Finally, rest is the most necessary aspect of back-to-school preparation. Changing from a summer to a fall schedule can be a tough transition for every child and parent, and each of them will have their struggle to deal with. Having quality family time and knowing you are loved and cared for will surely help children develop a sense of security and belongingness. 

Happy Parenting!