Switch gears for the school year with a minimum of fret and fuss
by
Angela De Groot
Well-rested children perform better in school. The Academy of American Pediatrics recommends 10-11 hours sleep per night for children aged 5-12 and 8-9 hours for teens.
Ease into bedtime changes three weeks before school starts by adjusting your children’s bedtimes and wake up times in 15-minute increments until they are back on the school sleep schedule.
Create a healthy balance between school, sports, after-school activities and family time. Be realistic and do not squeeze too much into each day. Include relaxation and play time in every child’s schedule. If your family is constantly rushing from one activity to another, cut back by choosing one or two activities your children really love.
Schedule family time
Family game night: Add a spin to this popular pastime by having your family invent board games to play together.
Family dinners: Talk to each other while preparing meals. Teach your children how to cook and try new recipes together.
Weekly family meetings: Check the calendar, discuss the week ahead and review the highs and lows of the past week.
Family outings: Take turns choosing an outing. Go biking, picnicking, visit a museum or take a day trip.
Family sport or hobby: Take up something new that the whole family can enjoy, such as tennis, rollerblading or gardening.
Have fun with homework
Designate a homework spot: Create an inviting homework area with photographs, posters, colorful containers, supplies and plants.
Allow ample time for homework: Encourage your child to tackle homework immediately after school, allowing time for other activities.
Switch off: the TV, video games and other distractions.
Get creative: Make homework assignments interesting. Host a family spelling bee to make studying for spelling tests fun. Use flash cards and matching games to take the snore out of memorizing multiplication tables.
Be available: Offer assistance but do not do their homework for them.
Use a homework planner: Spread homework evenly across the week, taking after-school activities into consideration.
Get organized and stick with a system
Family calendar: Place a large calendar in a centralized location that is easily accessed by the whole family. Keep supplies, such as notepads and pens, nearby.
Color code: Assign a color to each family member and color code entries on the calendar accordingly. It will be easier to track who is doing what and when.
Fill in: appointments, sport schedules, vacations, school closings, parties, etc. as soon as you learn of them. Older children can fill in their own dates.
Colored folders: Create a different colored folder for each child and keep school papers, sports rosters, contact information and health forms, etc. in them. Children insert papers in their folders as they unpack their backpacks. Parents review paperwork, mark dates on the family calendar and retrieve forms to be returned to school.
Important phone numbers: Keep a list of emergency and contact numbers next to the family calendar.
Tweak your family’s routine as you go. Organization, balance and flexibility are essential to a successful school year.