With the 2020 school year commencing across Australia this week, we’ve put together a list of tips that you can keep in mind to give you and your family the best start to the new school year.
Remember the importance of routines
Although standard routines may be at risk of falling by the wayside during the school holidays with trips, the odd late night and sleep ins, it is important to establish a good routine for you and your kids when going back to school after a break.
If you have regular mealtimes, as well as regular bedtimes, this will help your kids know what their routine is, and help them stick to it! Also, a regular bedtime routine can help your kids get enough sleep every night, with sleep being vital for kids for their physical and emotional well being.
The Department of Health recommends that school age children get between 9 to 11 hours sleep every night, and that teenagers get 8 to 10 hours sleep. With there being so many screens and distractions now that can distract from a good night’s sleep, the importance of a solid bedtime routine is more important than ever!
Think about apps and technology that might be able to help
With so much technology freely available, consider what apps you could use to help you and your children's school experience go as smoothly as possible. There are numerous apps available that can help your children and their organisational and time management skills, including calendars, visual schedules and fun and easy to use timers! Source Kids have put together a great article on some really useful apps to help your kids with their school routines.
Think about picking up some inclusive books
Getting some new books for your kid’s collections can help get them excited reading, excited about learning new things and most importantly, excited about school! With so many electronic distractions in the modern world, it can at times be a little difficult to get them to focus on books, however books are important because they encourage imagination, help with focus and can help make kids more creative.
As we’ve previously written about, We Need Diverse Books is a not-for-profit that spreads the word about how important representation is in books, assisting kids in understanding how they relate to others in the world, and providing relatable figures in books that children can relate to. Mable has previously conducted research on the less than ideal coverage of people with disability in mainstream media, which highlights the importance of finding relatable figures for your kids. Click here to read about our reading list of some great inclusive kid’s books.
Take care of yourself
The return of the school year can be a stressful time for kids and parents alike - it’s important to take care of yourself. Make sure to stay aware of any stress that you might feel, and get support, if you need it.
Try your best not to bottle up your stress, and be sure to talk to family and friends about anything you’re going through. This article from US News explains the impact that your stress can have on your kids - which is why it’s for the best if you have healthy coping mechanisms, for both you and your kids’ wellbeing!
Consider what support you might need
It’s a good idea to consider what support might assist you and your family in the school year.. You might want to think about engaging a little extra support to help you prepare and ease your own transition back into the school term. Having a team of independent workers that you and your kids have developed a relationship with can help with a range of tasks from school pick up to weekend respite and after-school care. Click here to read about how finding the right support workers on Mable made a big difference for this family’s at-home and school routines.
