The beginning of a new school year may mean a new schedule and routine. Although your child may have kept busy over the summer, the start of a new school year can be challenging. Youth may be anxious about starting the new school year because it may mean being in a new building, having new teachers, or making new friends, even if they have attended school before. There are a few steps parents can take to prepare themselves and their children for this new experience and ease some of the anxiety associated with the beginning of school.

Don’t wait until the last few days to remind your child that school is starting a few weeks before it actually does. Try to assess his emotions. These can range from concern to excitement to disappointment that summer vacation is ending. Let your child know that it is ok to be nervous. Try to raise the excitement level by going shopping for school supplies. If your child will no longer be with the same group of friends, see if you can get the names of a few children in his class and set up play dates beforehand.

Reestablish a bedtime schedule. A week or two before school begins, start adjusting the child’s bedtime to what it will be on school nights. There is no right bedtime for any specific age group of children because each child’s routine, metabolism, and need for sleep is different. A normal range of bedtimes for 7-12 year olds is about 7:30-10 pm, and children of this age usually need about 10-11 hours of sleep a day. However, some children need to nap, and so may go to sleep later and still wake up in time for school.

Start practicing the school day routine. Have your child wake up at the appropriate time for school in the morning, and do the things he will do on school days such as get dressed, have breakfast, and put his lunch in his backpack. If your child will be taking lunch or snacks, involve him in planning and packing these. Make sure that any containers and packages are user-friendly.

Even if your child is in a lower grade and will not have homework, he will still need to be prepared to learn. Try to refresh his memory and go over some of the things he learned during the previous school year. With younger children, set aside some time every day for the few weeks leading up to school to read with him, practice writing his name, or even coloring. With older children, have them practice homework time by setting aside time for them to read every day in the weeks leading up to school, and talk to him about what has been read.

The first few weeks of the school year can be an adjustment for everyone. Give it time. As prepared as you and your child are, there may be ups and downs as you both get used to the routine and develop a new schedule for homework and other activities. Be sure to check in with your child’s teacher to see how things are going.

For more information, contact Anna Peele, Extension Agent, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at 910.592.7161.