5 Practical ways to ease your child back into the school routine

Published on 21st December, 2023 at 02:45 pm

As we say ‘goodbye’ to days of playing in the sun and ‘hello’ to the buzz of the new school year, it’s time to start preparing your family accordingly.

Reading time: 3 minutes

In this article you’ll learn:

• How to help yourself and your child transition back into the school year.
• Practical tips for parents who homeschool their kids.
• Ways to improve your child’s learning with Online Education by Boston.

1. Start with small changes

Holidays are all about staying up late and waking up even later, and if you’re planning to do the switch back to a normal schedule the day before school, you’re only setting yourself and your kid up for disaster.

Introducing small changes at least one to two weeks before school starts can help your child adjust more easily to the demands of the new school year. Try changes like:

• Adjusting bedtimes
• Getting back into chores
• Eating full and nutritious meals

2. Get yourself (and them) organised

Another essential step in preparing for the new school year is being prepared. Now is the time to take advantage of all those back-to-school specials and stock up on things like:

• New uniforms
• Stationery
• Lunchboxes
• Extramural supplies

While you’re at it, ensure everyone goes for their yearly check-ups in time – visit the dentist, optometrist and paediatrician to ensure your little one is in top shape for learning.

3. Set realistic expectations

While the anticipation of the new school year can be exciting, it can also be daunting.

Pressure to perform well and fit in can cause your child to experience a lot of stress, so it’s important to establish open communication and set realistic goals.

Online Education by Boston CEO Ari Katz says that creating healthy structure can lead to success for learners.

“Children and teenagers need a structured environment and, therefore, we start by ensuring that there is structure in their homeschool journey by providing structured content,” he says.

He continues: “There is a very big focus on social emotional wellness, whereby we entrench within the learners the skills and tools in order to live a healthy and productive social emotional lifestyle.” With the Social and Emotional Learning programme offered by Online Education by Boston, you can set your child up for success with practice in self-awareness, decision-making, empathy and other essential skills.

With an increasing demand for both technical and interpersonal skills, will your child cut it in the 4IR? Find out here.

4. Talk about tech

In today’s digitally driven age, it’s crucial to understand how technology can benefit and limit your child while they ease back into the school year.

The world has moved to a digital-based knowledge economy, so it is critical that learners are comfortable in the digital world and are able to use this to develop skills that enhance lifelong learning, explains Katz.

When it comes to your child and screen time during holidays and school, ensure you have boundaries in place to prevent overexposure, and explain to your child why. With Sanlam Reality benefits, your child can access an online learning platform that champions balance, enhancing their learning, and engaging their attention.

5. Boost their learning processes 

Another way to help your child transition back to school is through enhancing their learning, says Katz.

This fosters study habits, routine and promotes cognitive skills. “The Sanlam Reality Online Education by Boston benefit provides learners from grades 1 to 12 with access to a wide variety of games designed to develop cognitive skills primarily through the use of language,” concludes Katz.

Remember that as a Reality Club, Core or Plus member, or client with Wealth Bonus Lifestyle or Wealth Bonus Lifestyle for Sanlam Corporate benefits, you have access to discounted Cambridge homeschooling or free supplementary CAPS support, plus, a free Social and Emotional learning platform, thanks to your Online Education by Boston benefit.