Preparing for Back to School

Back to School can be a chaotic time, it seems like an oxymoron but in the midst of the chaos it is important to manage time, stresses and plan ahead. Help prepare yourself and your student for back to school with these ideas:

Establishing routines early and being organized ahead of time help students (and all of us) rest, find peace and be able to focus. It is easy to put school shopping on the calendar ahead of time but even picking out a week’s worth of outfits, and looking at the weather are simple ways to manage that first week back.

Planning out the calendar, connecting all the aspects of life in one place. My sister uses different colors for her four kids on one calendar. Look at the schedules for different activities and make some space for school work and family time. Even getting up a little earlier to enjoy breakfast on the deck is a great way to create a little breathing room to a day. Intentional family time also creates space. Time for connection, hearing stories about school, activities and friends is an important overlooked part of life.

Managing the big shift back to school can lead to some anxiety, taking time to prepare your student might be the key. Visiting the school, touring the building, and meeting the teacher before the year begins, finding out who is in the classroom and if there are any friendships that already exist can be another. But even if there is nothing you can do beforehand, notes in lunches, and surprises are great ways to take some stress away. And pre-planning where important notes will be, when homework needs to get done and who is packing lunches will be a great help as well.

Staying Healthy! The first three weeks of school are a tenuous time for the spread of germs and illness. Make sure you eat well, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep! This is a great excuse to buy a new water bottle, too. Just one more hour of sleep can reduce the likelihood of illness!  Some wellness challenges might look like bringing in our water bottle with you to make sure remember to drink water. One of the interns put together a month of wellness, it looks like this:

A Month Cycle

  • 1 - Occupational: Take Pride In Your Work, Use Newly Learned Talents And Skills At Work
  • 2 - Physical: Try Decaffeinated Coffee/Tea Instead, Stretch  For  10 Minutes
  • 3 - Emotional: Maintain A Happy Attitude All Day, Learn Breathing Exercises To Deal With Stress
  • 4 - Intellectual: Read A News Article, Learn A Complex Card Game
  • 5 - Social: Talk To Someone New, Have A “Tell Me More” Conversation
  • 6 - Spiritual: Set 3 Realistic Daily Goals, Complete Those Goals
  • 9 - Environmental:Take A ½ To ¾ Length Shower, Shut Off Lights When You Leave The Room All Day
  • 10 - Occupational: Get To Work On Time, Actively Find A Task At Work During “Down Time”
  • 11 - Financial: Bring A Lunch To Work Rather Than “Go Out” For One, Brew Your Own Coffee
  • 12 - Physical: Have ½ Or More Fruit & Veggie Based Lunch, Go For A 10 Minuet (Or 1 Mile) Jog/Run
  • 13 - Emotional: Go The Whole Day Without Complaining, Listen To “Happy” Music Rather Than “Moody” Music
  • 16 - Intellectual: Learn A Pneumonic To Remember What Months Have 31 Days, Play A Complex Card game
  • 17 - Social: Talk To Others Rather Than Watch TV Tonight, Have A “Tell Me More” Conversation
  • 18 - Spiritual: Forgive Someone For An Old Quarrel, Forgive Yourself For Something
  • 19 - Environmental: Actively Recycle What You Can, Unplug Kitchen Appliances When Not Using Them
  • 20 - Occupational: Share An Idea,  Master A New “Work Skill”
  • 23 - Financial: Buy A Generic Brand, Use Cash Rather Than Credit/Debit
  • 24 - Physical: Drink Water Rather Than Soda/Coffee, Try A Strength Training Workout
  • 25 - Emotional: Make A Plan For The Day,  Figure Out How You Are A Crucial Worker Today
  • 26 - Intellectual: Do Some Brain Teasers, Try To Balance The Chemical Equation
  • 27 - Social: Play A Relaxed Card/Board Game With Someone New, Have A “Tell Me More” Conversation
  • 30 - Spiritual: Try Something New, De-clutter You Mind
  • 31 - Environmental: Thank A Plant, Accelerate And Decelerate In Your Car More Gently

More on this topic, find a great resource here: http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/25-tips-prepare-school.

And don’t forget to snap that first day picture!

Einstein Project