As the new school year approaches, many parents are looking for simple back-to-school routines that help children transition from relaxed summer schedules to calm mornings, peaceful evenings, and successful school days.
For example, last week a friend said to me,
"I finally cleaned the house and put away everything I've been meaning to get to."
I smiled because I knew everything she had been carrying over the last several months.
Instead of focusing on how long it took, I wished she could simply celebrate that today was the day she did it.
I wonder how many of us need that same reminder as school begins.
Whether your children start school this week, next week, or later this month, today is a wonderful day to begin creating one gentle rhythm that helps your family settle into this new season.
As you read these tips and ideas, remember they can be applied at any time. I believe today was just the right day for you to find this blog. It’s a wonderful place to choose just one rhythm to begin this week.
If you write in a journal, put a big star at the top of the day your children begin school! You rocked it during the summer, and now you can take a deep breath and ease into a new season.
It’s going to be a great year!
Create Peaceful Evenings
Gradually Adjust Bedtime
During the summer, bedtime probably became a little more relaxed, and mornings may have started later too. After all, it was summer!
Since school is starting, making a few adjustments to bedtime will gradually help everyone adjust to getting up earlier.
Moms, you have the big picture in mind and can figure out when each child needs to be in bed and what time everyone needs to wake up in order to get everyone ready before walking to the bus stop, getting in the car, or beginning the school day at home.
Preparing the Night Before
Starting the night before makes the next morning go much smoother!
One simple rhythm that helps everyone is inviting the whole family to help after dinner. Littles can put the silverware in the dishwasher, while older children can pack leftovers and help prepare lunches for the next day.
Check out the blog titled, “How to Create Calm Evenings With Kids (Simple Family Routines That Work)” for simple ideas like preparing lunches, having backpacks ready to go, and choosing outfits ahead of time.
If your child wears a uniform, “easy peasy!”
For younger children, limiting choices can help prevent them from feeling overwhelmed.
End the Day With Comfort
"In the great green room there was a telephone and a red balloon..."
One of my favorite books to read to my children and now to my grandchildren is Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.
The rhythm and cadence of the book are very soothing at the end of the day. Reading before bedtime is a wonderful rhythm to add to your evening.
It helps a child understand that the rhythm of the evening, from dinner to family time, preparing lunches and backpacks for the next morning, bath time, pajamas, and reading together, all help signal to their brain that the day is ending.
Predictable bedtime rhythms help babies, toddlers, and older children feel safe and secure. Learning to have a good bedtime routine helps them play, learn, and focus better the next day, too.
Establishing a Bedtime Routine
This is a rhythm you can begin to establish by moving their bedtime routine up 10 minutes earlier each night before school begins.
For a variety of reasons, this may not happen every night. That’s okay. Implement it when you can.
Be consistent and patient with yourself and your child as this can take a few weeks to settle into a rhythm that is right for everyone.
You’ll know it may be time for an adjustment if your littles are consistently falling asleep before their usual bedtime.
Create Peaceful Mornings
Welcome Morning Light
Something to tuck away for later is having everyone go outside in the morning light.
You won’t be adding this during the first or maybe even the second week of school. However, because it is so beneficial, it is worth making space for it during the weekdays.
I’m reminded every week when I watch a couple of my grandchildren how important morning light is for helping regulate a child’s natural sleep wake cycle.
It helps kids focus better on school mornings and wind down more easily for bedtime. Another benefit is that better sleep also supports a healthy immune system.
Ease Into the Day
Because of the preparation you and your older children did the night before, everyone’s morning can start off on a better footing.
Of course, not every morning will begin peacefully.
On those mornings, give yourself or your child some extra time and space to become fully awake.
When one of my children needed a little extra time, I was willing to skip running an errand before work or taking my coffee to go and sipping it on the way into the office.
It was better for that child to be held or rocked for three or four minutes until they were in a better space, read another page or two from their favorite book, or take their stuffed animal in the car.
As the nurturer of the family, helping your child ease into their day ultimately helps your day, too!
Protecting Family Connections
Creating Consistent Mealtimes
Mealtimes can be a wonderful opportunity to catch up with your family after a busy day.
Establishing regular mealtimes creates a consistent opportunity to reconnect as a family.
As your children reach middle or high school, it may not be possible for everyone to eat together every night. That’s completely understandable.
However, when everyone can be together, it sets up lifelong habits that help a child well into adulthood.
Family meals have been linked to many long-term benefits, including improved overall well-being, stronger communication skills, increased vocabulary, greater self-esteem, and resilience.
Eating together also helps Mom and Dad reduce their stress levels, which is a huge win!
It’s easy to rush through dinner and not stay and talk with each other. When you can eat together, try to set aside about 30 minutes so each member of the family can connect.
This may look different depending on the age of your children and their ability to participate in conversations.
Mom and Dad, set your schedules so that when there is an evening for a family dinner, you make it a priority to be there.
Put Screens Away
Family time is a sacred space.
Teaching and modeling this to your children when they are young helps them understand how important family connection is.
Screens need to be put away during dinner and family time. Having a set place where phones and tablets can go makes this rhythm easier for everyone.
Research continues to show that excessive screen time during childhood can affect attention, learning, sleep, and healthy brain development.
That’s one reason our family chose to protect mealtimes and evening routines by putting phones and tablets away.
Remember my friend who finally cleaned her house?
She could have focused on everything that hadn’t been done.
Instead, she celebrated what she accomplished that day.
That’s exactly how I hope you’ll approach this school year.
You don’t have to establish every rhythm this week.
Choose the one your family needs most right now.
Maybe it’s reading together before bed.
Maybe it’s sitting around the dinner table.
Maybe it’s packing backpacks the night before.
Small, consistent rhythms often become the memories our children carry with them long after they’ve forgotten what grade they were in.
Start with one. Celebrate the progress you make. Then, when you’re ready add another.
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