I saw a blog post from the Science of Parenting Blog at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach a few days ago. Reading that post and visiting with my daughters about the preparations underway for the new school year ahead got me thinking about preparing the grandsons for school.
We think and talk a lot about routine this time of year. It is best if you can begin to establish the type of routine necessary once school starts a few weeks before the actual start day. Of course, if kids have been attending daycare all summer, the morning routine may have changed very little from the school year. The biggest change may be in the bedtime routine. Homework, packing a lunch, or laying out clothing for the next day may be important considerations. Also, fall sports and activities will be starting. Now may be the time to have a conversation about what activities interest your child. You may have expectations for music lessons, dance, or chores that should be discussed with the child.
If catching a school bus or walking to school will be new experiences for your child, you will want to prepare them in advance. Many schools have trial bus rides for new kindergarteners or back to school nights for the entire family.
You may want to discuss school lunches with your child. Will she or he be packing a lunch every day or will they need to know how to buy school lunch? If packing his or her lunch be a common occurrence, you will want to review what options are available. Will you be buying prepackaged treats to accompany a sandwich? Will you be baking some treats and putting individual packages of the treat into the freezer? Is your child old enough to choose items for his or her lunch box? You may want to have a food safety discussion with the child.
There should be enough time before the school year starts to ease your family back into the routine. Remember if AnswerLine can help answer any questions we would love to help.
