It’s hard to believe school is going to be starting up within the next few weeks. With that comes the sudden increase in school related emails, things to keep track of, and possibly being inundated with emails offering various tips on how to help your child or teen prepare for the new school year.
Here is a concise list of simple tools that you may want to set up or try out to help you and your child or teen get prepared for the new school year. Each child and teen’s needs are different, so you will need to adjust the list and specific tools accordingly.
- Basic self-care (i.e., sleep, morning and evening routines):
- Help yourself and your child or teen to re-establish these routines and get used to getting up at the time that they will need to do so for school.
- Recreate or develop a good morning routine including things like packing a lunch (if applicable), water bottle, and making sure computer are charged.
- If your child or teen needs a more step-by-step process, write out together each thing they need to do from getting up until thy leave. For example:
- Get up: 7:15 AM
- Use bathroom: 7:18 AM
- Get dressed: 7:22 AM (estimated 3 minutes)
- Eat breakfast: 7:25 AM (estimated 15 minutes)
- Make sure backpack is packed up: 7:40 AM (estimated 2 minutes)
- Brush teeth: 7:42 AM (estimated 3 minutes)
- Get socks and shoes on: 7:46 AM (estimated 2 minutes)
- Down time to play: 7:48 AM (until leave)
- 8:20 AM: leave for bus.
- Homework space
- Set space for homework
- Minimum distractions
- Supplies readily available
- Afterschool/homework plan
- i.e., specific time to start homework and do work around afterschool activities
- Method for keeping track of daily schedule
- Electronic calendar
- Whiteboard or paper calendar in commonly used area
This list is not exhaustive, but hopefully will be a good starting point in helping you get your family prepared for the new school year.
Copyright 2022 Carey A. Heller, Psy.D.
