We love back-to-school season! The excitement, fresh opportunities, budding young minds ready to learn … but let’s be honest. There’s a bit of a honeymoon period, and then reality sets in, for teachers and students alike. When the routine of school starts to take a toll, and the stress of academic and social challenges sets in, take heart. Keep these tips in mind to handle routine of school with ease and levity:
Write it down.
There are a lot of changes that set in quickly in the transition from summer to school. It can be easy to forget something.
Make lists of what needs to be packed every morning in the backpack and lunchbox. Schedule out your week where everyone in the family can see it. Include after-school activities, bedtimes, wake times, and everything in between that might be helpful.
Make task lists, chore charts, and grocery lists. Even on a mundane Tuesday, in the midst of homework, dinner prep, and sorting laundry, checking off a task or three can be very satisfying!
Take deep breaths.
In the moments of overwhelm when there are a hundred things to get done, sometimes doing nothing is the best thing.
As simple as it sounds, you can manage your anxiety by stopping whatever you’re doing and breathing. Close your eyes, still your mind, breathe in and out, and wait for the high-stress feelings to pass. Don’t try to stuff your jitters and keep moving; they won’t go away by ignoring them.
Build a team.
We are all in this together. If you or your student are feeling alone in your challenges, reach out for help. Make sure you are talking to teachers about what is going well and where you need help.
Build relationships with the other students and their parents: organize weekend play dates, join a carpool, or start a monthly ice cream meet-up after school.
Visualize the life you want.
Picture what you want life to be like in a few months, once you’re fully in the swing of things. Set goals as a family that will help you attain your ideal scenario – like family quiet time for an hour every night to read or study, take-out Tuesdays to lift the burden of cooking, or a morning dance party to wake up and set the mood for the day.
Picture your students happy and well-adjusted – and also handling those difficult days with more maturity than they would have had last year. You can’t prepare enough to bypass the bad days, but you can prepare to help your family face them with positivity.
If you are looking for a school that you and your students love even after the honeymoon period is over, look no further! Self Development Academy is a K-8 nationally awarded charter school of excellence with an advanced learning curriculum. In addition to online learning, we have campuses in Phoenix and Mesa. If you are interested in our schools, contact us at (480) 641-2640 or (602) 274-1910 to get more information. We would love to have you!
