School Schedules / Summer Vacation.

No more up all night, sleep all day.

Hey folks,

It's August 7th. In something like three Weeks, School starts here in Sunny South Florida, and not soon after, the Rest of the Country. You can see it in the stores. Sales starting to get all that Back To School Stuff. School Schedules and Bus Routes being learned. Kids getting a bit depressed. {Smile} Parents a bit relieved. You know, Back to School.

But it's not just about Pencils and Books. It's also about getting back into a routine. No more up all night, sleep all day. No more XBox all the day long. No more Summer time slothfulness. Time to get ready. According to Health Day - Adjusting Routines Before School Starts May Ease Transition to Class Don't try to change your schedule overnight, expert suggests

SATURDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Adjusting routines before school starts can make it easier for families when children return to classrooms after summer vacation, an expert says.

"Returning to the routine of the school year can be overwhelming for adults and students," Josh Klapow, a clinical psychologist and associate professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, said in a university news release.

"During the school year there's a sleep schedule, a tighter timeframe for performing household chores and the sense of fewer hours in the day. Altogether, this can lead to debilitating anxiety," he explained.

Advance preparation for the new school year is crucial.

"Throughout the summer months, you and your children have developed new habits and routines. Breaking those is extremely difficult to accomplish in a day," Klapow said. But introducing routine changes beforehand can ease the transition from summer holidays to the new school year.

Of course this means Sleep time and the removal of any Napping during what would be School time. Here is one I never thought of.

"This means adjusting bed times and morning alarms starting now. If they already haven't been reading through the summer, have the children pick up a book for at least 20 minutes a day, to mimic homework time. This helps everybody in the household re-adapt," Klapow said.

I actually really like that one. Now Josh HAS been doing some work with his Nana. He has been doing GREAT. Loves Math, and Problem solving. So he, I hope, will be ready to enter the First Grade this year. The thing for us Parents to remember, especially those that are home with the Kiddies the whole summer, is that they need to remain calm about the Back to School thing.

It's important for parents to remain calm and composed, he added.

"You need to keep your emotions in check. Your children will pick up on your feelings; you set the tone. If you're excited and positive about the beginning of school, your child is more likely to be. If you're feeling frantic and unprepared, that's what your child will pick up on," Klapow said.

SOURCE: University of Alabama at Birmingham, news release, July 26, 2011

Showing that we are anxious for them to get out is most likely not a good thing either. {Smile} Anyway, get the stuff. Get them ready. The time draws near, if they like it or not.

Be right back.
Peter

Sources:
Health Day - Adjusting Routines Before School Starts May Ease Transition to Class