Restarting your Back to School Routine
Canadian kids have been out of school since March which means they have had a long break. While some families moved to online learning it definitely wasn’t the best option for all families. Today we at Kinder Buddies Oakville Daycare go over some of the best tips to get your family back on routine.
Start This Weekend
Children are creatures of habit who love structure. Changing routines can be exceptionally hard on them. Consider starting a week in advance and even on the weekend. This includes:
- Bed times
- Wake up times
- Home work Time
Making Bed Time Easier
The hardest part of getting back into a routine is creating a proper bedtime. Change makes kids cranky, but not getting enough sleep can make things much worse. Some ideas for making the transition easier:
- Limit screen time 2-3 hours before bed time
- Maintain specific wind down routine that allows kids to understand it’s bed time: Bath, Reading Time, Bed Time
- Set aside an hour before bed for non-screen related activities of your childs choice like reading or colouring
- Maintain bed time routine as much as possible even on weekends
Start Slow
While getting ready and out the door used to be a science of 10 minutes, it may be 30 now. To avoid disappointment manage expectations by giving tasks more time than they need. This includes downtime.
Limit After School Activities
Often as soon as school starts, so do after school activities like sports and arts. This also applies to after school grocery runs with the kids!
It’s been a long time since most kids have spent a day with over 5 people. For many kids this can be incredibly draining. Packed schedules can lead to after school melt downs.
The answer? Consider deferring after school activities for a month; or limiting the amount of after school activities. Give your children time to adjust to school and then add one activity at a time.
Set Aside Time to Talk in your Routine
Even while kids head back to school and some parents head back to the office, things are very different post COVID-19. There will be a lot of changes for the entire family. Make sure to schedule time in your routine to talk as a family about these changes. Especially kids who will be dealing with the biggest shift.
Some tips for a successful family meeting:
- Avoid talking directly after school. Kids may be worn out and less ready to talk candidly.
- Allow your family and hour or so of personal wind down time before talking.
- Consider talking after dinner so everyone has had time to wind down and no one is hangry.
After School Talking Prompts for Kids
- Who did you see today? (Friends)
- Whats the same? Whats different?
- Do you like your new teacher?
- Did you have troubles with your mask at all?
- What was your favourite part of the day?
- What was your least favourite part?
- What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
Kinder Buddies Oakville Child Care is a Quality First Daycare and Infant Care facility in Oakville, Ontario. We take care of children from the age of 6 weeks to 5 1/2 providing nutritious meals and fun activities all day long.
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