“It’s the last week of August and my kids sleep in till 10 every day!”
That’s what a mom said to me today.
Actually it was kind of panicky confessional from Jenn, Mountain Baby’s manager, purchaser and all around smart lady.
“Oops” I thought… “Her family is going to need some heavy duty adjusting to get ready for the school year.”
It’s a big switch to go from the lazy days of summer to the high energy “gotta get everyone out the door on time” days of September.
It’s a big switch for parents and kids alike.
Even stay at home babies and toddlers need to change their routines if they have to get up to walk their older siblings to school or the bus or get in the car to drive them.
Here are some ideas to make the switch easier.
1. Even if you only have a week to go, start switching bedtimes and wake times by half an hour.
2. After 2 or 3 days, switch it again to get closer to what the new wake-up time will be.
3. Talk to your kids about the changes that are coming. Remind them about what the new morning routine will look like
4. If you don’t have a routine in mind, make one up. Routines make life easier for everyone.
5. If you are making up a routine, consider all the factors involved in getting kids out the door
• How old are your children – younger children often don’t understand what it means to be “on time”. They may need a lot more time to get ready than you think!
• What are the tasks that need to be accomplished before you head out the door, for example,
– waking up (a hard one for some kids and adults)
– nursing the baby
– using the bathroom (slowest one last!)
– getting everyone dressed (including you!),
– making and packing lunches and snacks,
– gathering and packing supplies needed for the day, (make a daily list for the fridge)
– making breakfast,
– eating breakfast, (time this for the slowest eater)
– brushing teeth (you can always try)
– putting on outdoor clothes as needed
– leaving the house
6. Run through the routine at least once before school starts. See how much time you need to get everyone out the door. Add on 15 minutes! Rushing sucks!
7. Go through your list and see what you could possibly do the night before. And do it!
8. Plan out lunches and snacks for the week
9. Go grocery shopping so you have everything on hand
10. Get your kids backpacks, lunch kits, no waste snack holders, water bottles etc. before school starts so you have the selection you want.
Enjoy the last days of summer. Squeeze the “switch preparation” outlined above into a fun filled day. And remember always to go outside and play!!!
BONUS: Check out this post to learn more about helping kids adjust to school, preschool or daycare.
