The key to making the return to school a success for your foster child is to develop a good routine.
You’re both likely to be nervous as they prepare to return to school, but establishing a routine will really help minimise the stress and make it a much smoother transition.
Getting into a routine isn’t as simple as it sounds, and as all parents know, even the best laid out plan can go wrong once school mornings arrive! However, there are a few things that can help. Below you’ll discover how to create a great school routine to help you keep up with the demands of the new academic year.
Develop a good sleeping pattern
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is introducing a new stricter bedtime the day before school starts. This provides very little time for them to get used to the routine and they’ll likely wake up on the first day back feeling tired and frustrated.
It’s going to make yours and your foster child’s life, much easier if you start the bedtime routine at least a week before their return. Ideally they should be getting around 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night. Not only will this help make them feel more refreshed and ready to start their day, but it will also help them to focus better in class.
Prepare everything the night before
The last thing you need on a school morning is to be rushing around trying to get a million and one things done. Always prepare as much as you can the night before. This includes sorting out uniforms, making packed lunches, packing their school bag, and checking to see if they need any special equipment such as their PE kit.
Once school actually starts, ensure all homework has been completed and check to see if any letters need to be signed the night before. The more you can get done, the less stressful both of your mornings will be.
Breakfast, wash and dress
Always try to have a routine where breakfast comes first, before the child gets washed and dressed. That way, you’ll avoid any last minute disasters if they accidentally get any breakfast down their nice clean uniform!
Speaking of breakfast, this tends to be one of the most stressful parts of the routine. It’s helpful to have a number of options available. We’re not talking a menu here! Just a selection of cereals and things to go on toast will do. That way, you’re likely to have at least one thing your child wants to eat and won’t fight you on.
Allow for plenty of time for them to get dressed too. It’s surprising how many challenges getting a child dressed for school can present! If you leave plenty of time to work around these challenges, it’s going to reduce the stress for both of you significantly.
Overall, getting into a routine can be hard work, but it definitely pays off to follow the advice above. The earlier you start establishing the routine, the easier it will be.
Got any back to school routine tips of your own? Share them with us over on our Facebook page.