By Kristen Plank
University of
Georgia
Practice makes perfect. When it comes to getting your child ready for the new school year, having a set morning routine is the best way to reduce stress and ensure success.
Practicing your morning routine during the summer can keep tension-filled morning mania at bay, said Don Bower, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension human development specialist.
Bower recommends preparing for the school day the night before by getting a good night’s sleep.
“Young people need eight to nine hours of sleep a night,” he said. “And upwards of 75 percent or more get six hours or less.”
Sleep is very important in a child’s routine, he said. Lack of sleep can affect performance in school. Adhering to a set bedtime is not something parents should back down on.
To get children in the school mindset, practice rounds should be done a week or two before school begins. Getting a morning routine established will help ease the child’s transition from slow summer mornings to the faster pace of school days.
Bower suggests completing tasks, like packing backpacks and laying out clothes, in the evening. “Organize as much as possible the night before,” he said.
Give children responsibility for waking up and getting ready. Children can gain valuable experience through simple task responsibilities.
“Getting up by themselves, getting dressed and making their own breakfast are all things children can do and feel good about them afterwards,” Bower said. “Adults underestimate the amount of responsibility young children can handle and this robs them of practice in making their own decisions.”
Parents need practice, too. To reduce household stress, Bower suggests parents get ready 15 minutes earlier than normal, before the hubbub begins.
“Parents set the tone with their attitude,” he said. “If they are stressed out, they can convey that to their kids and getting ready in the morning becomes an unpleasant routine.”
Ginny Kiepper, a second grade teacher at Morgan County Primary School in Madison, Ga., offers a few additional suggestions to help parents prepare upper-level as well as elementary students.
“Have your children read over the summer, because they typically backtrack reading-wise over the break,” she said. “And bring students to open house. It helps the kids have a more secure feeling when they do come to school.”
(Kristen Plank is a student writer with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
