Preparing Your Child for the Upcoming School Year: Start Now!

For parents and children, transitioning from summer to a new school year has always come with its challenges. But a global pandemic has a way of introducing even more challenges. That’s why it’s now more important than ever to adequately prepare your household for the upcoming school year. Hopefully, these tips and resources can help you do just that:  
 Cleaning the Home
Maintaining a clean living environment will benefit everyone in the household.
         Periodically, declutter each area of your home; this can do wonders for reducing    your stress levels.

• Also, make time for thoroughly cleaning your home, or hire professionals to do it for you.
• Develop a quick cleaning routine to go through each day.
• Consider making your own cleaning solutions, many of which can be made with ingredients you likely already have.
• Moreover, make sure everyone in your household is following CDC guidelines, especially if your child will be attending school.

 Online Learning
If your child will be doing online learning, part-time or full-time, it’s essential to help them prepare for the process.
          Ensure you have reliable digital security set up on the devices your family uses.

• Contact your child’s educators and make sure you know exactly what tools your child will need for their online courses.
• Help your child transition to any new devices they will be using..
• Make sure your child has a comfortable learning space.

 School Routine
If your child will be attending school, make sure you start to transition them into their new routine at least a week before the beginning of the school year.
          Establish a firm bedtime and wake time.

• Make sure your child isn’t eating or drinking too much sugar on a daily basis, and get them on a healthy diet that will benefit their learning.
• Limit your child’s screen time, research shows no more than one hour per day, and make sure they are getting plenty of outdoor playtime.
• Research any educational activities you can engage in with your child.
• Check ThereForMyKids.com for more helpful parenting advice!

         By putting in the time now to prepare your household for the upcoming school year, you can save yourself and your child a lot of difficulty down the road. Make sure you are maintaining a clean, clutter-free home. Help set your child up for success with online learning, and get them into a good school routine before the school year actually starts.
          Finally, if the stress starts to become overwhelming, just take a moment to breathe. Balance “me-time” with “child-time.” Build fun activities into school work, take short breaks, reward effort and success.  These preparations will form the foundation for a great school year, in spite of changes and precautions because of the pandemic.

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