First Steps News

Countdown to Kindergarten Tip: Help Get Children into a School Routine

• As the first day of school approaches, move bedtime back to an earlier time.
• In the summer, it’s easy to slip into having meals at irregular hours. Start to make meal times more regular and aligned with the school year schedule.
• Put a positive spin on going back to school. Talk about the fun things your child will be learning, the old friends he’ll see and the new friends he’ll make.
• If your child is anxious about starting the next grade, reassure her that other children have these feelings too.
  Don’t make plans for big trips right before the start of school.
• Establish school-day schedules for homework, TV, baths and bedtime.
• Arrange play-dates with friends from school to re-establish connections that may have been dropped for the summer, or to create new ones.

• Make sure your child knows where he is going after school.
• Double-check on your care plans and touch base with the provider before school starts.
• If your child will be home alone after school, establish safety rules for locking doors and windows, and for answering the door and the telephone. Make sure she knows to check in with you or another adult when she arrives at home.

• As you get ready to go back to school, start to put limits on watching television if you haven’t done so during the summer.
• Set an example by not watching a lot of TV yourself. Have family activities such as reading or board games.
• Choose wisely. There are some TV programs that can be a valuable tool for learning and expanding one's awareness of the world.

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