School Days - Top 10 Tips for Establishing a Good Routine
Teachers know that children thrive in an environment with
routines, boundaries and rules. Unfortunately, parents often
forget it! And yet by establishing good routines and
encouraging children to help you maintain them, you have an
opportunity to set a pattern and a discipline that will stay
with your children for the rest of their lives. You will
make school days easier and far less stressful, reduce the
chances of starting your day late or dragging on forever
with the homework, put an end to nagging and shouting, and
have happier, more relaxed kids. Here are 10 tips for establishing a solid, school day
routine. 1. Lay the breakfast table the night before Put everything out apart from perishables. If you keep all
your breakfast things in one cupboard or one area of the
kitchen this routine will be easier to establish, and older
children can take it in turns to do it. 2. Put out your clothes the night before Lay out a complete set of clothes for each child, checking
them as you do it. Older children should do this themselves
- you can double check when you say goodnight. Then if
something is missing (or shoes need polishing) you have time
to put it right. Lay your own clothes out too! 3. Brush teeth at the kitchen sink Keep a toothbrush and toothpaste for each child in the
kitchen and brush teeth at the kitchen sink immediately
after breakfast. It may not be perfect for the house-proud,
but if you send your child out of your sight to do a chore
in the morning, you lose control. If you lose control, he
may start dawdling. 4. Set up base camp Establish a "base camp" where the children keep all their
school things. You will need room for kit bags, satchels,
swimming bags, sports equipment, ballet bags, library books
and whatever else the kids need! Provide at least one hook
per child for their coats (in our house kids must hang coats
up as soon as they take them off) and a basket or box for
school shoes (in our house kids must put shoes in the box as
soon as they take them off too - sometimes they do!) Another
basket or box for each child can be used as a place to put
anything that needs to go to school - gloves, letters to
teachers, music, library books etc. Everything is in its
place and ready to go out the door first thing in the
morning without any fuss. 5. Make a list Fill out a schedule of what is needed at school on each day
and pin it up at "base camp". Check each morning before you
walk out the door that you have the appropriate kit. You
will find a school week planner to print here:
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/school_week_planner.htm 6. Nail up a notice board Keep a notice board at "base camp" so that you can pin up
reminders, invitations, school menus or whatever else you
need to keep tabs on. 7. Do it now! If anything comes home from school that requires your
attention, do it immediately. Fill out forms and put them
straight back into the satchel. Write dates into your diary
there and then, and reply the same day too. If you postpone
it, you will forget it! 8. Give homework a home Establish a place and time for doing homework and stick to
it. Keep dictionaries and other necessary books nearby, as
well as a spare set of pencils, rulers and other stationery
you might need. Make sure that homework is put back into
satchels as soon as it is completed and that satchels are
returned to "base camp" straightaway. Get out a kitchen
timer if kids are reluctant to start (or finish!) 9. Be prepared If your car is running short of petrol (gas), fill it up on
the way home from school in the afternoon rather than
panicking the following morning! As you drive home, run a
mental check on whether you have the necessary supplies for
dinner, and breakfast. Nothing makes kids more miserable in
the morning than an empty fridge. 10. Get ahead Set your alarm to wake you up 10 minutes earlier than usual.
You will be amazed at how much more in control that 10
minutes will make you feel. And finally, leave for school 5
minutes early. Arriving early takes away an enormous amount
of stress and will put your children in the right mood for
school. Are you convinced? Start initiating some routines in your
school days and you and your kids will feel the benefits
very quickly. Making sure that your kids feel comfortable
and in control before they get to school gives them the best
possible start to a school day. And once they get used to
afternoon and evening routines for homework and preparation
for the day ahead, nighttimes become more peaceful too. "We first make our habits,
and then our habits make us."
--John Dryden (c) Lindsay Small 2005 Please feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in
your newsletter or on your site, as long as you leave all
links in place, do not modify the content, and include our
resource box as above intact. If you do use the article,
please send us an email so we can take a look. Thank you. Lindsay Small is the creator and editor of Activity Village
- providing the ultimate one-stop resource for parents and
teachers looking to educate and entertain their kids. Visit
the website at http://www.ActivityVillage.co.uk and subscribe to the
free newsletter at http://www.ActivityVillage.co.uk/free_newsletter.htm
Related News
Parenting video series begins this Sunday - Charles City Press
Parenting video series begins this SundayCharles City Press, United States -20 hours agoA great parenting resource is being offered to interested families in Charles City. The first five segments of the video series, “Shepherding a Child’s ... |
Listen to your teens - Edmonton Sun
Listen to your teensEdmonton Sun, Canada -4 hours agoAs teens struggle to separate, parents need to adjust and fine-tune parenting style and attitudes to meet their teens' changing needs. ... |
DHS to drop ban on foster parenting by unwed couples - Arkansas News
Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine and Saige Nicole’s Baby Boutique - PRarticle.com (press release)
Your parenting happy place - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle |
Your parenting happy placeSan Francisco Chronicle, USA -Oct 9, 2008When the bad times come, one thing I do to keep from getting out-of-control upset is remember one of my parenting happy places. I have maybe five or six of ... |
The Parenting Vote - New York Times
New York Times |
The Parenting VoteNew York Times, United States -19 hours agoBy Lisa Belkin Ask people with children what most shapes their worldview, and being a parent would likely be high on the list. ... |
Who claims the family policy agenda? - San Francisco Chronicle
Who claims the family policy agenda?San Francisco Chronicle, USA -Oct 9, 2008High rates of poverty, divorce, single parenthood and social isolation exaggerate the typical strains of parenting. As a result, the United States has one ... |
Parenting imperfect: Sad moments help us appreciate joys - Oneonta Daily Star
Give mom some parenting books - BlueRidgeNow.com
New car technology to aid parenting skills - Great Dad
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Parenting Your Teenager: What Parents Say About Teens
What is hard for parents
Dealing with Lying: The Dos and Donts
Jason Roberts listened to his son's explanation of the missing cookies and then called him a liar. Brenda Taylor thought her three-year-old's lies were cute, so she ignored them. Yee Chen told her daughter that if she told the truth this time, she would let it go.
How You Can Help Your Child To Be An Avid Reader
Reading is the most efficient and economical way to help anyone
to acquire information, knowledge, skills and improve on one
self. And it is most wonderful to help your child to be a
great reader as young as possible.
Positive Parenting of Teenagers: Helping Your Teen Understand What I Cant Afford It Means
Because most teens have not had the experience of getting to the end of the money before the end of the month, the words, ``I can't afford it,'' have little or no meaning.
Im a Mom, Shes a Mom: Being an Adult with Your Parents
On one of her quarterly visits to see her grandson, my three-year-old
son, my mother ignores the available front seat of the car, crowds into
the back next to the car seat and promptly unwraps a lollipop. Feeling
the tension rising, I recall the numerous conversations where I so
proudly tell my mother how I keep sugar away from my son. "Mom, what
are you doing? Haven't you heard a word I said?" And so it starts. The
struggle of being an adult with my parent.
Preparing Your Child for the Three Rs
There is little doubt that reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic are crucial elements in the education of any child. A child's ability to later cope in the adult world, to have a career, to take charge of his financial affairs and to live independently depends to a large extent on his mastery of these skills.
Drinking and Driving: Will Your Child Become a Statistic?
Just two days ago, another 15-year old child was added to the overwhelming statistics of drunk-driving, related deaths. One minute, he's full of vitality and attending our local high school, the next his unsuspecting parents are identifying him in a local morgue. The harsh reality of this brutal scenerio is sometimes very difficult to comprehend.
Teach Your Child About Money
What are we teaching our children about money? Hopefully something!
How Many Sex Offenders Live On Your Block?
For any parent, learning that a convicted sex offender lives on the same block, can be a chilling discovery. The thought of it alone, can be disturbing. Most parents can't imagine that someone, who could be so potentially dangerous, may live somewhere on their block or along the path their child takes to school. However, it is highly likely that there are registered sex offenders in your neighborhood.
Top Ten Reasons to Hold Family Meetings
1. Make stronger connections among individuals and, therefore, creates a closer family.
Parenting Your Teenager: Driving and Having a Car is a Privilege, Not a Right
Q. My teenage son is turning 16 early next year and he's already lobbying us for a new car. He says all his friends are getting new cars, that he deserves one because it's his right when he turns 16, and he won't drive what he calls a POS car. Do you think he is trying to manipulate us, and what do you think we should do? And since he won't tell us what a POS car is, do you know?
Would You Know if Your Child Were Being Bullied? 4 Tips to Keep Them From Becoming a Victim
The 21st Century Problem in Schools: Bullying, and How to Keep Your Kid From Being a Victim
Your Kids Career - Whose Choice?
A strange thing happened to me today. Or more precisely, a
strange thought occurred. You see, my eldest son
helped me install a new kitchen. He was the expert handyman.
Me? Well, I was the 'gofor'. "Dad, could you go for
this?" "Dad, will you go for that . . ."
Childrens Discipline: How To Resolve Divorce Parenting Differences?
Did you know that inconsistency on matters of discipline gives double messages, produces anxiety and can be very confusing to your children? Children need to know where they stand in their behaviors. It is therefore critical for parents to resolve their differences in matters of children's discipline.
8 Tips To Save On Child Care Costs
Child care costs are are one of the most expensive costs associated with going back to work. Finding ways to cut down on child care costs without sacrificing quality child care is a top priority for all working parents. Here are a few ideas that can help trim your child care costs without sacrificing child care quality:
Sibling Rivalry: The Magic Trick That Stops It Instantly
It's a familiar scene: Kids screaming at each other,
complaining that, "He got a bigger piece of pie," or "She
got to stay up an hour later last night."
Parenting Your Teenager: The 4 Ds of Time with Family
How would you like to have more time? Of course we all want more time. There are just two problems: 1. We can't add more hours to the day; 2. Even if we could add more hours, we would just fill them up with the same stress we have now.
Building Your Childs Self-Esteem
According to researchers, most children enter school with a good sense of self-esteem (at least as defined by psychologists) and yet leave high school with a poor sense of self-esteem. What happens in those years between starting school and finishing school?
10 Tips for Making Daily Physical Activity Part of Your Childs Life!
Here's some of the bad news about sedentary lifestyles:
More Water, Not Less, Will Help End Bedwetting
Children are notoriously bad at drinking enough liquids. They are so
busy playing they sometimes 'forget' to drink. Sometimes, children
seem like camels - able to go for ages without having a drink.
Obviously, when they are thirsty they will rush indoors for a drink.
But often they look for sugary, caffeine-laden drinks which are great
for quenching thirst, but do little for the body's fluid levels.
|
