How do we get back into a school year that feels like it never really ended?
While the new school year is right around the corner for many, we get that it also may feel like groundhog day. What month is it? What grade is my child starting again? The blur of 2020 is real.
Whether you’re heading back into a virtual school year or starting in person, we can all agree that the end to last year didn’t feel the same, and our summers have probably not been as exciting as they were before. For a lot of us, getting back into the school year will feel different than it has before and it might be more challenging to jump back into things. As we kick off this different, yet, new school year, we have put together 8 fun re-energizing tips that engage the whole family.
Pick a family favorite to have the night before the first day of school, and cook it together
Do your back to school shopping. Make a list and hit up staples or order all you need for organization on amazon. It’s always important to keep organized even if we’re learning at home. You can even do some arts and crafts to make their materials look great before they get into the classroom. And don’t forget about back to school clothes shopping! It’s always fun to get a few new wardrobe pieces before heading into a new year. (You too, mom! Maybe that new tie-die lounge set from Target is calling your name!?)
Continue to make the first day a celebration! Pick out a “back to school” outfit because we can still look great even just on zoom. Take a first day of school photo to commemorate the occasion.
Get your workspace ready. If you’re heading back virtually, make sure to choose the place you will sit down for your video calls and make it a productive workspace. This means organizing the area to make sure you have all the materials you need, removing distractions, and posting up your daily schedule or calendar to have for reference. If multiple people are working from home, try to each find your own private workspace to avoid distracting one another from your work or get some noise-canceling headphones. Click here for our free PDF on how to get your space organized!
What about food? Plan a nice back to school dinner for the night before with your child’s favorite foods or maybe a morning of breakfast. Ask your child what they want to make the occasion special! You could even help them make their own first day of school lunch and get your snacks ready. Don’t forget to stock up on yummy and nutritious snacks to keep your kids going throughout the day.
Keep your traditions alive or maybe start some new ones! Do you always have a special dinner and/or family night before the start of school? Keep the tradition going and head out for some outdoor dining and/or order takeout to dine in. Or maybe, you’re missing that family vacation that you normally have before school starts. Instead of getting away, plan a “staycation,” but make it creative! Have a camping trip in your backyard or even living room, have a movie marathon or plan a spa day. These are all great ways to get in some much-needed rest and relaxation before the school year kicks into gear.
End of summer party. With all our technology, it’s a breeze to keep this tradition going. Set up a “virtual slumber party” for your kids and their friends. Everyone can buy popcorn, drinks, pizza, and have a netflix watch party - all online! Or you can plan a virtual game night, virtual spa night or plan all this in person if you’re in the right place to do so. Help your kids to plan one last hurrah to make it a good end to the summer!
Set goals for the year. Set aside some time to discuss your child’s goals for the school year. Reflect on what went well with virtual learning in the spring and brainstorm ways to make it even better this year. Make a goal for your child’s grades, attendance, or whatever it is that they want to grow in. Maybe you also set a personal goal, such as how many independent books they want to read, and help them work toward this. Not only is this a great time to reflect but you can set goals for yourselves (us adults) to help model this behavior for our children.
Make your child a “back to school” gift bag. This is a great way to get them excited and give them a few little things to make their start to school go a little more smoothly. Throw in some extra school supplies, mints, hand sanitizer, fidgets, maybe a healthy snack, and any of your child’s favorite things to help make it special. Even just a nice motivational note to inspire your child can go along way and make this different, yet new year, off to a good start!
To read more about making this a smooth transition and how to talk to your younger children, click here for a great article: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/20/07/making-smooth-transition?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hgse_organic
Click here for our free downloadable PDF to make the transition back to school a little bit easier!