. Settling into a School Schedule

I know that many of you have recently begun what I call the “school schedule”.  You have sent your children off to school now for about three/four weeks and are beginning to settle into a routine that is working pretty well.

What I am going to encourage you to do is to streamline that routine just a little bit to make the rest of the school year go much nicer, easier, and have less bumps.

So I ask you three questions:

1)  Do you have a specific place where each child puts items that need to be taken to school the next day? This is often called the “Launch Pad” and is a confined place where the child can put their backpack, their school lunch money, their apple for the science class, and anything else they need to remember to take to school.  I like to have labeled, plastic buckets, one per child, in our home for the “launch pad”.  No one thinks well when in the rush to get off to school.  Gathering the night before and putting everything in the “launch pad” makes good sense.

2) Do you have a specific routine for getting the children ready for school each day? Most children should be encouraged to decide what they will wear to school the night before.  The clothes should be laid out, complete with socks and shoes.  Then tomorrow’s dressing will be quick, decision-less, and easy.  Try it, it makes all the difference!

3)  Do you have a weekly menu for breakfast that the children can rely on? I know that many of you have cold cereal on school mornings, but even then have you set up a routine for getting the table set, each child’s dishes cleared after eating, and their teeth brushed (and the toothbrush put away and the toothpaste lid put back on)?

Slowly down for the next week and working with each child individually until they have learned these simple habits will make for long-term benefits.  Try it, you will definitely like it!

Find more helpful ideas in the House of Order Handbook.