Aug

31

Is Your Schedule Back to Normal Yet?

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Summer’s are hectic times for families, because usually your daily routines & schedules that are set in place during the school year are thrown out the window, and freedom reigns! :)  Your children have gotten in the habit of going to bed and getting up later.  Since school has started, it’s important to get children back on a school schedule or you will find a house full of grump kids and parents.  Use these tips to get your family back into the swing of things.

Don’t wait too long to get them back in the habit of going to bed for school.  In fact, it would be helpful if they started going to bed a little bit earlier each night, over a week, until they reach their normal “school night” bedtime.   Children will rebel against having to go to bed so early if they’ve stayed up late all summer.

While you’re working on re-establishing a normal bedtime, you probably want to also get them up a little earlier each morning.  This will help them acclimatize to the regular school schedule of going to bed a particular time and then having to get up in order to get ready for school.  If you haven’t already done so, why not purchase an alarm clock and teach your child how to use it.

Instead of goofing off when they first wake up, have your children start getting ready as as they get up. Then let them relax before rushing off to school  Before they go to bed each night, have them set out their clothes for the next day so everything’s ready for them when they rise.

What do you do if your child has to change classes during the day?  Visit each classroom with your child, helping them find the quickest route between classes and other areas they’ll use.  Your child will be a pro at maneuvering the halls in no time.

Will your child ride a bus, carpool with other children in the neighborhood, or will you take them to school each day?  Knowing how they will get to and from school is important and will give them continuity to their day.  This is particularly helpful if you have younger children.

Be prepared to get up earlier yourself, especially for the first few weeks.  You’ll want to be up ensuring the children have everything and get ready in time.  It’s not just children whose schedules are thrown off during the summer.  Since it’s time to get back on your schedule when children go back to school, they’ll be on theirs as well.

May

31

Rewarding Good Behavior

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Quick Tip: Rewarding Children Ages 3 and Up

One unique way to reward children is by buying or making tickets. The child gets a ticket for each thing they do right. They later can exchange their tickets for gifts or rewards (such as free movie night or 15 minutes extra play time). Make rewards equal to a few tickets. This not only teaches the child to behave well, but also teaches them how to save and work for what they want. It is a fun and easy game.

If you have a lot of kids and you don’t want to make your own tickets, why not save time by purchasing a cheap roll of event tickets. You can find them here:  tickets