Preparing for Back to School
We hope you are enjoying this last stretch of summer! As the school year approaches, we wanted to suggest some ways you can help your child (and yourself!) prepare for the transition back to school.
Encourage Mealtime Independence
Food preparation and meals are essential parts of our daily lives. Snack and mealtimes are special times at school when your child can practice essential social skills such as table manners and conversation. Children will help prepare food, set the tables, pour water to drink, and clean up after themselves at school.
We recommend practicing this at home. Children can be included in preparing the table and then clearing the dirty dishes after the meal. We recommend having a straightforward routine for cleaning up, which can include putting dirty dishes in the sink, dishwasher, or dish tub after eating. We also encourage the use of regular cups and glasses for meals and snacks and saving a water bottle for when in the car or on walks. Younger children can be encouraged to use silverware to feed themselves. By eating family-style meals and sitting at the table together, you can also model and practice good table manners.
Older children can be involved with setting the menu for meals and even helping with grocery shopping and cooking. They can start to map out what they want to pack for lunch and be part of the process of getting their food ready in containers and everything in their lunch box. This also helps children have ownership and buy-in about what they are eating. Many families have had success with packing lunches the night before, so everything is ready to go in the morning.
We also recommend that your child have food containers that are easy to open and close. Going to the store and having your child try opening various kinds of containers is a terrific way to find some that work well. We have also found that “Bento” style lunchbox containers are very user-friendly.
Think About What to Wear
Young children are becoming independent with their dressing and undressing; it helps them practice these skills at home and school. Even young toddlers are capable of taking off and putting on different items, and they love to do things for themselves. We recommend giving your child the time and encouragement to do things for themselves, including taking shoes off, pulling pants up, unzipping jackets, and so on. Choosing clothing and shoes that are easy for your child to put on and take off is a tremendous help for the transition to school.
Older children can gather their belongings to ensure they have everything ready for the first day of school (and every subsequent day!). They can check the weather to determine appropriate outerwear and shoes, practice setting out their clothes the night before, and prep items needed for after-school activities. Include your child in planning ahead, they will enjoy being a part of the process.
Prepare a Goodbye Routine
To prepare for the first days of school, we recommend preparing your child (and yourself) for what the drop-off at school will look and feel like. It can be helpful to drive by the school and casually notice with your child(ren) where drop-off will happen. As adults, the clearer we are about the routine, the more secure our children will feel.
Short and sweet transitions are key. The longer we linger, the harder it is for our children to recalibrate and settle into the classroom. To that end, figure out your goodbye process ahead of time. Perhaps it is one hug and two kisses, plus a wave goodbye. Whatever you decide, stick with it. Our children are hard-wired to test our limits and they will want to figure out if they can negotiate two hugs and a wave goodbye then more hugs. However, if that negotiation is successful, they actually feel less secure because then they can’t rely upon a predetermined plan.
To help ensure the goodbye plan is a success, practice. While at home and when everyone is in a great mood, suggest a game of pretending you are doing drop-off at school. Remember (or create) the goodbye routine and then act it out together. Take turns being the adult and the child (children love getting to be the adult). Playacting is a fun way to work through what can be a stressful transition during the child’s day.
By establishing clear and firm routines, we help our children develop trust and confidence. If we feel hesitant or unsure, our children absorb those feelings. So, we want to exude assuredness.
Adjust Schedule
If our children have been staying up late during the long days of summer, it helps to gradually shift bedtimes and establish a consistent routine. Rushed mornings tend to be more difficult, so putting more effort into getting enough sleep and having plenty of time in the morning can help the transition back to school.
Although earlier mornings can be challenging, children do much better when they get to school with enough time to settle in. We recommend trying to come on the early side of the arrival window so that children aren’t overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of last-minute or late arrivals. Coming late can also mean that they miss out on some of the benefits of the Montessori work cycle.
We recommend a gradual transition to the school year schedule. If children have been going to bed later, start easing into an earlier bedtime by using 15-minute increments over a series of days. Easing into the new schedule is more helpful than just hoping for the best on the first day of school.
Check-In
We all tend to feel more secure when we feel prepared. To that end, we recommend reviewing back-to-school documents from school, checking supply lists, labeling your child’s belongings, and asking us any clarifying questions! Here at White Bear Montessori, we strongly encourage families to attend our “Class Meetings” in August to learn more about day-to-day life at school and what to expect. The start of the school year is an exciting time!