By: Christy Ramey
“Mom, where’s my book bag?” “Mom, have you seen my shoes?” “Oh, by the way, I need a paper signed and $10 today!” Does any of this sound familiar? These questions along with shouts of, “Hurry up! You’re going to be late!” or “I can’t believe you’re not ready!” can all be a part of your morning routine when school starts – or maybe not? Maybe there is a better way!
With some forethought and preplanning, school mornings do not have to become shouting matches. Here are some strategies that can get your school year started on the right foot – Ready or not!
Before school starts – Talk!
Communication is key. Ask questions about classes your children will be taking, clothes they will wear, and specific needs and supplies (each school has a list at local stores). Give them choices. Sometimes it might be necessary to narrow those choices due to price or because they can be overwhelmed by all the possible selections.
Set some ground rules. As parents, we are aware that success takes discipline and now is the time to help children develop self-discipline.
Explain your standards and expectations to your children. During this conversation, rewards could be discussed for meeting certain goals. One year my son and I decided on a trip to Holiday World if he had a certain number of AR points by the year’s end. It worked!
Discuss when homework should be completed. Also consider which extra-curricular activities fit in to everyone’s schedule and budget. Remember, the more activities, the greater amount of planning needed in order to eat supper together or have clean clothes.
Get Organized!
Clean out drawers and closets of outgrown or unworn clothes and shoes. This will make enough space for the new things and a way to see it. Pick out clothes ahead of time and put them in a drawer or on a shelf so decisions each morning are simple. Make sure the entire “outfit” and accessories are together.
Also organize a study area for each child. They should have a space where school work can be completed. Experts differ on whether music can help or hinder the homework, but your child probably has a preference. Provide resources such as a dictionary, thesaurus, calculator or computer to accomplish their assignments. Let them be creative with their space or shared space for homework.
Organize a central location for papers that need your attention. The first few days of school are the worst, so help your child be responsible with these forms by asking them to put the papers in a tray or folder you have labeled for this purpose.
Organize a supply shelf at home. Tape, glue, paper, stapler and staples as well as extra pencils and a pencil sharpener are all necessary for school assignments and projects. Keeping a few sheets of poster board, colored paper and markers handy could save you a midnight run to the store, which I learned from experience in 1994! Extra batteries of various sizes might also be helpful.
When school starts Get Up! (on time)
Of course, there is one very important element to all this preparation – get up on time!
Give each child an alarm clock and let them be responsible for their own time management. I once had a professor who told the story of delivering his first-grader to school in pajamas because she didn’t get up in time to get dressed. Guess what? It never happened again!
With the alarm clock comes the discussion about when the bathroom will be available and how many people will need it. Younger children typically require less time than teenagers. Note: Beware of bad hair days. This phenomenon can disrupt event the calmest of days.
Make sure everyone knows what time the bus runs, or the car has to leave. Training in time management starts at an early age and is a necessary life lesson.
Being prepared mentally and physically can help those first few days of school go much smoother. Send your child to school knowing you have communicated expectations, encouraged responsibility, and organized your home for a successful school year. Yes, you will still get into an occasional panic situation, but planning ahead, getting up on time, and positive encouragement will go a long way toward keeping the school mornings peaceful!