The new school year is upon us, and for most families that means big changes to their day-to-day schedule. Kids will be in school all day, head to sports or other extracurricular activities afterward, then hit the books in the evening to get their homework done. This is a big shift from the laid-back days of summer.
It takes time for kids to adjust to the more structured schedule of the school year, so now is the time to start making some changes to your child’s daily life.
A regular routine, consistent sleep, and good time management will help your student adjust to the new schedule and focus on their schoolwork. Here are our best tips for setting your child up for a better school year this year.
1. Maintain Consistent Home Routines
A consistent home routine helps children know what to expect and provides a sense of stability that helps them cope with the anxieties the school year can bring.
- Bedtime. Set and keep a regular bedtime, ideally beginning a week or two before school starts. The National Sleep Foundation recommends all school-aged children get 9-11 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep will help your child manage stress and have a more successful school year.
- Morning routine. Establish a consistent wake-up time, make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast, and have a set time to leave for school (or log in for distance learning).
- Meal times. Determine consistent times for meals and snacks, and stick to them. Try to sit down together for a family dinner as often as possible.
- Weekend homework schedule. In addition to setting aside time during the week for homework, make sure your child has scheduled time on the weekend as well. Set aside a couple hours for homework on Saturday so they don’t end up trying to do it all Sunday night.
Write up a daily schedule and post it where your child can see it. Include all of the above items, plus other tasks like chores, daily hygiene and grooming expectations, and exercise or play time.
2. Teach Time Management Skills
A major source of stress for many students is lack of organization…especially for middle school aged kids and older. Help your student manage their time by teaching them valuable organizational and time management skills like:
- Use a planner or planner app, where they can keep track of assignment due dates, upcoming tests, extracurricular activities, and more.
- Set up a study space free from distractions like TV, video games, and social media.
- Maintain an organized study space using desktop organizers, and take time after each study session to clean up the space so it’s ready for the next day.
- Set goals and prioritize tasks. Help your student set goals for each day’s study session and prioritize tasks to make sure the most time-sensitive work is completed first.
- Break big projects down into smaller tasks. Big projects can be overwhelming. Teach your student to break them down into smaller tasks, each with their own due date, then create a to-do list and schedule time for each task.
- Focus on one thing at a time. Attempting to multitask can actually hinder productivity by reducing our ability to pay attention and comprehend what we’re doing. Teach your student to focus on one assignment at a time.
- Take study breaks. Taking short breaks throughout their study time can help your student stay focused and energized.
3. Establish Rules Around Screen Time
Set limits for your child’s recreation time spent on screens, including social media, TV, and video games. Too much screen time can affect sleep patterns and brain health. Limiting screen time to 2 hours or less has been shown to improve cognition, including memory, attention, processing speed, and language skills.
4. Stay Connected With Teachers
Check in with your child’s teachers on a regular basis to see how your student is performing in class. That way, if your child is having a hard time with a subject, you’ll know about it right away and can help them work through their struggles.
5. Keep an Eye on Your Child’s Homework
Monitor your child’s classwork and homework assignments to ensure they’re completing everything and turning it in on time. Check in with them regularly to make sure they’re keeping up, ask about interesting things they’re learning, and see if they’re ready for their next test.
6. Make Sure Your Child Is Eating Nutritious Meals
Kids don’t always want to eat their broccoli, but did you know that doing so could help them have a better school year?
A healthy diet helps us feel our best, improves our sleep, and keeps our brains healthy.
Foods rich in antioxidants (like fruits and vegetables) help protect your brain from oxidative stress caused by a variety of lifestyle and environmental factors. And foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (like fish, walnuts, or flaxseeds) have been shown to boost brain health.
To keep your child’s body and brain in tip top shape, make sure they’re getting a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins in their diet.
7. Incorporate Rest, Movement, and Fun!
Taking time for rest, play, and movement are important parts of brain health.
Kids (especially young children) need down time after the school day to rest or to be active and burn off pent-up energy from the day. In other words, they need a break from the focused attention their schoolwork requires.
Whether they need rest or play time after school may change from child to child and from day to day. Make sure to set aside time after school each day (and on the weekends) to allow your child time to exercise, play, or recharge with quiet downtime, depending on what they need most that day.
Add Brain Training With LearningRx for an Even Better School Year!
Brain training can help your child have their best school year yet. It boosts the cognitive skills they use to pay attention, learn, and remember. It can also help them feel more confident in their abilities.
If you’d like to explore whether brain training is right for your child, contact us to learn more about how brain training can help your child have a better school year this year.
