Ways to prepare your kids for back-to-school

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Summer is slowly coming to an end, which means that school is right around the corner.

This time of year can become hectic for families, as everyone is trying to get new clothes, school supplies, and their schedules sorted before school starts.

To make things easier, Paid for Grades has created a list of tips for things that parents can do now to help their kids adjust to the new year.

Sketch Out a Morning Routine

One of the most challenging changes that happen when school starts is getting kids up in the morning and out the door before the bus arrives or before drop-off. Start getting your kids up now to help them adjust their sleep schedule more. For older kids, get them an alarm clock and ask them to create their own morning routine to encourage them to take ownership of this routine.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Make sure that your kids get a well-rounded meal before school. These meals should include protein, grains, and vitamins. Something such as toast, scrambled eggs, and a banana could do the trick. Having breakfast in the morning gets their brains going and prepares them for a morning of learning.

Pick Outfits Out the Night Before

Nothing causes panic than a kid who can’t find their favorite shoes. Make sure that your kids pick out their outfits before they go to bed and place them somewhere they will not miss. It also gets them excited for the first day of school.

Pack Lunches After Picking Outfits

Save time in the morning by preparing their lunch the night before. If you know what tomorrow’s outfit will be, you can apply the same thing to packing lunch. Make sure it’s labeled if you have multiple children, and, along with breakfast, make sure it’s a nutritious lunch to get them through the day.

Start having lunch during summer break

A way to get your kids in school mode is to set their lunches for the same time every day. Find out what time your kid will be having lunch during school, and make that their lunchtime during the summer. This will help them prepare for their first week back and also improve their memory retention.

Limit TV Time During the Summer

To start building good homework habits, try limiting TV or video game time during the summer. To help with this, try telling your kid to spend the time they would have been watching TV to learn one new thing a day. Ask them to give a report back of what they learned over dinner.

Family Games Build Big Brains

Family time is very important before kids go back to school, but there are games that can help your kids get ready for school. Games like Scrabble, Sudoku, and other games are great ways to keep kids sharp, plus they are fun.

Set Bedtimes & Wake-Up Times Before School Starts

Bedtimes are really hard to enforce during the summer, but to help prepare your kids for the first week of school, have them go to bed earlier each night before the first day of school. Waking up for school is another problem. Start waking them up earlier each day as well to help the transition from summer to school.

Don’t Wait Till the Last Minute

Stores are full of everything you need right now, do not wait till the last minute to go shopping because it will most likely be slim pickings. You can even buy supplies and clothes online and have them shipped to your door.