The holidays may just be starting, but you’ll soon be thinking about going back to school. For kids, this is a rite of passage as they spend plenty of time outside of the classroom. And, it’s not uncommon for parents to give them some flexibility. Why shouldn’t they enjoy cartoons in the mid-morning with a bowl of cereal? What’s wrong with staying up late during the week when they can sleep in the day after?

The answer is nothing when school’s out. However, when it starts again, your child will be tired and short-tempered and distracted and will struggle to learn. The key is to get them back into a routine, and here’s how.

Reel It In

Asking them to go to bed at their usual time of 8 pm isn’t going to work after two weeks of mayhem. What you need to do is to trick them into slipping back into their routine. To do this, get them bathed and in their pyjamas ten minutes earlier.

Then, keep on taking off ten minutes each time throughout a week until they are back to normal. It’s sneaky to the point they won’t have a clue what’s happening. And, if they do catch, they won’t be able to resist the serotonin coursing through their veins.

Buy New Furniture

Okay, this is an expensive piece of advice but it’s also an effective one. The amount of sleep they get isn’t the only problem – they need a good quality of rest too. Lying on a lumpy, uncomfortable bed isn’t going to help them sleep through the night.

However, luxury nursery furniture will do the trick as it’s designed with children in mind. Plus, the cost will even out over time. How? It’s because you won’t have to purchase any more furniture for a long period as quality stuff lasts.

Go Back-To-School Shopping

Part of the battle is letting them know that school is around the corner. Once they understand this, they can prepare for the event mentally. Telling them date isn’t enough as kids are fantastic at pushing things to the back of their minds.

So, do something concrete, something they can’t deny, such as a back-to-school shopping trip. Taking them out for a new uniform will make it undeniable, and that will encourage them to snap back into reality. Another option is to complete any homework they had over the holidays.

Do It The Night Before

If your child has something to do in the morning, it means everything moves forward by thirty minutes. Suddenly, they don’t get as much sleep because they need to find their books or pack their lunch. This is a recipe for disaster as your son or daughter won’t be in the mood to wake up early and start the term with a bang. Making them have a shower or preparing their school bag means there is more flexibility in the morning.

Hopefully, these tips come in handy when it finally comes time for them to go back to school. Do you have any suggestions? Feel free to leave them in the comment section.