The clock is ticking, summer vacation is quickly coming to an end, and the back-to-school supplies are already surfacing everywhere you turn. Long, lazy days in the sun, quick sprints through the sprinkler, and that endless wait for the ice cream truck will have to be put on hold yet again for another 10 months, as will the daily swimwear and flip flops attire.

The calendar may indicate it’s time to get in the mood for the first day of school, but that doesn’t mean your child will agree.

I’m pretty sure there isn’t a single school-aged child is applauding the end of their break from the school year grind, and hey, who can blame them? There are a few ways to get them in that back-to-school mood to make day one slightly less painful, though, if you can believe it. 

1. Switch up routines a week in advance

I get it, bedtimes get pushed back in the summer thanks to the fact that the sun is out later and no one is going to have to worry about missing the bus in the morning. But to suddenly expect your child to go to bed early again, one night before the first day of school, is pretty much asking for a “but I don’t wannaaaa” meltdown. Switch up your bedtime routine a week in advance. Have your child resume their school year bedtime sooner rather than later, to avoid the drama.  

This routine change also applies to the morning.  It means waking them up at the time you’ll need your kiddos to spring out of bed on school days. Waiting until the last minute will make for a very cranky student, so prepare their little body clocks by easing them in to their new routine.

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