Most of our kids are back in school and with only a week left to go before Labor Day and the launch of the Fall television season and hopefully, fingers crossed and a small prayer thrown in, cooler days will be coming again – here are some tips on helping your kids maintain their energy and activity levels amidst the stress of going back to school. And yes, that was a way long sentence. But the meaning behind it still stands.
Tips for Your Kids:
- Getting Back Into the Rhythm of School Can Take a Few Weeks – Be sure that your kids are getting plenty of sleep. The average child needs 10 to 12 hours of sleep per day so get them to bed at a reasonable hour
- Adjust Dinner Schedules – Most families eat dinner around 6 o’clock – try to make sure the dinner is about two hours before they go to sleep
- Healthy Snacks – Invest in healthy snacks so they can nibble something when they come home
- Send a Bottle of Water to School – Many schools are letting kids bring in their own water bottles so kids have access to water all day – be sure to include one in your child’s things
- Monitor the Extra-Curricular Activities – Watch how many after school events you have your child signed up for – especially kindergartners who are getting used to a whole new routine
- Breakfast – Make sure your kids are eating before they go to school, my daughter used to get a morning snack, now she doesn’t eat until lunchtime which is close to 11, over three hours after she gets to school – a piece of toast can keep their blood sugar levels from tanking
- After School Naps – If their exhaustion levels are running high, encourage an hour’s nap after school
- Be Flexible – For the first few weeks, it’s going to take all of you time to adjust to the new schedule – be flexible and ready to adjust – it’s your responsibility – not your child’s – to admit they may be too tired for some events and to either reschedule extracurricular activities or cancel them altogether
What else can you do to help your kids adjust?
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