Back to School Routine Tips: Morning, Afternoon, and Night
Back to school means back to getting all the kids fed, ready, and out the door on time every day. Well, every day might be wishful thinking, but with a routine, it can happen most days. After Summer, the kids are sun-kissed and hopefully bored enough that they want to return to school with their friends. However, that doesn’t mean it is easy and stress free. The thought of chaotic school days doesn’t have to give you anxiety though. We have some tips for getting into a laid-back school time routine. From experience, our kids generally respond well to a schedule because the actions become more of a habit. This means the tasks become predictable and therefore they pick up on it quickly. They are able to learn how to do things for themselves without you having to direct every second. These “habits” become the routine and allow the kids to mature and adapt to changes in a natural way. That being said, you will most likely still repeat yourself 50 times about putting shoes on and getting in the car. With kids, that part is almost inevitable.
Every Age Group Will Be Different
This means you may have an older child that does not require as much attention in a schedule as a younger child. You may also have different phases, such as a middle schooler and a grade schooler. It is important to talk about what their expectations are for the school year to help you, as a parent, better prepare for their needs. The middle school child may be feeling nervous or insecure, while the grade school child may just be excited for ice cream days. While being in tune with how they are feeling, you will better be able to serve them on their first few days back at school. This may be a note of encouragement in the older one’s lunch box or snack money for ice cream day for the younger one. Both ages will still have similar schedules, because our basic habits still look the same as we age. Wake time, breakfast, brush teeth, and get dressed. If the kids can do this with zero or minimal direction, this creates more time for you to do more of a prepping routine for day-to-day activities, such as dinner and extracurricular activities.
Prepping is Key
We understand that many people do not like to prep. Whether it is meal planning or getting clothes together at night before school. However, the more you can prepare for the coming day or week, the better. When we say prep we do not mean you have to actually make the lunch or set out the clothes, we mean just know what and where all the necessary things are for the coming day. Knowing where things are is half the battle, especially in the mornings. This is something you can start off slow doing and possibly work your way up to a whole week. For example, just knowing what is going in the kids’ lunch box the next day will save you time, but the end goal for prepping lunches would be knowing exactly what you are sending every day that week. We find that it is much easier to write down Monday through Friday lunches in one sitting rather than thinking about it each day. If your kids eat school lunches everyday then this particular example does not apply for you, but even if you do both, then you will still factor in knowing which days they get school lunch. Let the kids help in the planning of all the details. Ask them what their favorite lunch is and what they want to wear the next day. Sometimes this takes the pressure out of guessing. If they want the same thing for lunch every day, try giving them options and rotate. Talk to them about events going on at school and what they will need. Most likely they will remind you a thousand times.
Things we like to prep for the next day/week include:
- Breakfast, lunches, and dinners – Just knowing what the meals will be the night before is helpful. Be sure to pack lunches the night before if possible. Finish packing lunches while the kids eat breakfast. Don’t forget to fill up water bottles the night before as well.
- Uniforms/outfits – Be sure to know what the weather is going to be like as you send your kids out the door. If you are able to create outfits for Monday through Friday, this is what we personally suggest you do. If the kids wear uniforms, you most likely won’t be able to prepare for the whole week because of washing, so just do it daily or the most days possible. Be sure to have socks, shoes, and accessories ready as well.
- Snacks for school and snacks after school – We allow our kids to pick snacks, as long as there is a healthy balance, and it isn’t all junk. Ask them what they want for the week. Taking the same snack to school for a week is a simple way to know what you are sending. The next week it can be something new. Snacks for after school could be put in a bin. We fill up one in the pantry and one in the refrigerator for them to choose something from. This way you choose what to put in the bins, but they still have options and can make their own choice.
- Backpacks – Empty in the afternoons and be sure all forms, homework, doctor notes, etc. are packed and ready to go the night before.
- Extracurricular gear – If the kids have programs after school be sure to have everything they need together by the time they get home. We generally make sure this is done the night before too. Keep their things in the same place every day to make it easier.
Don’t let this part overwhelm you if you aren’t the organized type. It doesn’t have to look pretty. It is just about knowing ahead of time, so you aren’t making decisions in the moment.
Create a Visual Schedule
Kids love to be able to see and follow along with the weekly activities. Creating a visual list of to-dos helps keep them on track. They will become familiar with the list and eventually won’t need it anymore because it will just become part of their daily habits. This provides them with the ability to predict their own needs, which establishes independence as they get older. Having a calendar for events such as holiday parties and field trips is also a great way to help them set expectations for their week. It provides something to look forward to and allows them to keep up with their own activities. A high level of independence will take time. You may still have to direct them on which step is next for a while. Using a timer on your phone along with a visual schedule is especially helpful for kids who struggle with transitioning from one activity to another. The visual list and calendar will also help keep you on track when you get overwhelmed. Keep this idea simple. If your kid is not ready yet, use pictures to help them.
We love these simple routine lists from Amazon for the younger kids:
Magnetic Morning/Night Routine Checklist
Repeat, Acknowledge, Praise
Each child is different and will learn at their own pace. Be sure to repeat the same exact steps daily, especially in the first few weeks. We understand that certain days may look different than others, but keep the routine as consistent as possible. If your little one is going into Kindergarten, they can brush their own teeth, get themselves dressed, and help pack their backpack every day. They may need some supervision at first and it probably won’t be done quickly, but they can do it. Encourage their independence. Acknowledge when they quickly and efficiently do the tasks themselves, then praise them on what they did well that day. You can also acknowledge the parts they did not do well and remind them to follow the checklist. However, be mindful during the process to repeat, acknowledge, and praise daily for the first few weeks. It will take some time to master, but they can do it! As your child gets older, this idea still applies, but you should set new standards. When they are ready, have them help make breakfast, pack their own lunch, or gather their own clothes. The more you acknowledge and praise, the quicker it will become second nature for them.
Example of Our Daily Routine
To help you understand how to implement these tips, we will share an example of what the child’s schedule could look like. The order of tasks is not important but stay consistent.
Morning
- Wake up
- Brush teeth/wash face
- Eat breakfast
- Get dressed
- Brush/style hair
- Make bed
- Grab backpack, lunch, water bottle
- Turn off lights
Afternoon (At home)
- Unpack backpack and lunch box
- Change clothes
- Have a snack
- Do a fun activity
- Complete homework
Night
- Eat dinner
- Help prep lunch/clothes for the next day if not already done
- Bathe
- Brush teeth
- Story
- Bedtime
Give Yourself Grace
Unfortunately, a routine takes some time to get established. As we have stated, consistency is key. Staying as consistent as possible will help things flow as smoothly as possible. Try not to put too much pressure on the kids, but definitely go easy on yourself as well. It will come with time. Remember, practice makes perfect!
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