Kids have been on holiday since early December, and with all the festivities, routines have probably flown right out the window.
If you’ve allowed your little ones to stay up later and sleep in longer than usual, then you might find yourself with a struggle on your hands to get them back into a normal routine.
With schools reopening next Wednesday, the countdown has officially begun.
While it is tempting to squeeze every last drop of freedom out of the holidays, waiting until the night before school starts to enforce a bedtime is a recipe for a very tearful Wednesday morning.
Here is how to bridge the gap from holiday chaos back to school-ready structure without the stress.
Start now
Our bodies run on internal clocks. If a child has spent three weeks waking up at 9 am, their brain won’t automatically adjust to a 6 am alarm.
When we force a sudden change at the very last minute, kids end up feeling exhausted and cranky.
They will struggle to concentrate, and their mood will suffer.
For the little ones starting Grade R, this is even more critical. They are already dealing with the big emotions of starting school.
If they are tired on top of being nervous, that first day becomes much harder than it needs to be.
Shift slowly
The most painless way to fix a sleep schedule is the 15-minute rule.
Starting tomorrow, wake your children up 15 minutes earlier than they woke up today, and put them to bed 15 minutes earlier tonight.
If you do this every day between now and when school starts, you will gently shift their internal clock back to normal.
This gives their bodies time to adjust to the new rhythm without the drama of a sudden, forced bedtime.
Reset mornings
Sleep is the biggest hurdle, but the morning flow is a close second. Over the next few days, start reintroducing the steps of a typical school morning.
- Set breakfast times: Move breakfast back to its school time slot rather than letting them graze throughout the morning.
- Get dressed: Have them change out of their pyjamas shortly after waking up. It sets a mental boundary that the day has started.
- Prep early: Start the habit of laying out clothes or checking school bags the night before.
Limit screens
The hardest part for many kids will be giving up the extra screen time.
We tend to be more relaxed with tablets and TVs during the holidays, but blue light makes it harder for the brain to switch off.
Aim to have all devices turned off at least an hour before the new bedtime.
The goal isn’t to end the fun early. It is about making sure that when that first school bell rings, your kids are walking into class feeling rested, confident, and ready for the year ahead.
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