Making school mornings easier
By Emily Thompson
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Sept. 5, 2017
Fast Facts:
- Back to school time means added stress for both students and parents
- Preparing the night before and getting enough sleep can help with the transitioning into school mode
- Parents should avoid overscheduling themselves and their children
- Set up a space with minimal distractions to help students do their best on homework
(447 words)
LITTLE ROCK -- Thousands of Arkansas K-12 students have traded in sandals and swimsuits for textbooks and pencils, but even after a couple of weeks, making the transition from vacation to school day may still seem a little rough.
Not only are children having to get up earlier, but also their days may be longer with seven out of 10 parents reporting that their children participated in a sport or other extracurricular activity, according to the Pew Research Center.
Between early mornings, practices, clubs and homework, it’s easy for both parents and students to feel overwhelmed. University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Family Life Specialist Brittney Schrick gives a few tips on how to make the transition a bit easier.
- Prep the night before. “Do anything you can to streamline the process of getting ready in the morning,” Schrick
advised. Completing any tasks that are usually reserved for the morning the night
before, like signing forms and packing lunches, can save time, energy and stress in
the morning.
- Get enough rest. Schrick suggests going to bed a little early to make sure everyone is well rested
to tackle the day ahead. This is especially important for teens who need almost as
much sleep as an infant. “They can’t stay up until the wee hours of the morning and
still function at 100 percent,” Schrick said.
- Give everyone a responsibility. “Parents may feel the need to keep their thumb on a child in the morning, but it
may actually be counterproductive,” Schrick said. She recommends establishing a morning
routine for everyone so each person is responsible for making sure they are ready
in the morning. Schrick said that visuals and charts can be helpful in creating these
routines. “For pre-readers, putting pictures on a magnet board or Velcro that they
move from one side to another when they have completed the tasks such as dressing,
brushing teeth, packing backpack, etc. can help them work through a routine on their
own without constant reminders from parents,” Schrick said.
- Avoid overscheduling. While after school activities have many benefits, each extracurricular means after
school meetings, practices and events to attend. If there are multiple children in
a family those obligations can grow out of hand quickly, making putting a cap how
many you and your family participate in necessary. “Kids and parents need time to
recharge, and if your family is constantly going from one thing to the next, that
recharge and connection time doesn’t happen consistently,” Schrick said. “Saying no
is necessary at times.”
- Remove distractions during homework time. If your child is watching TV or in the same room as younger siblings without homework, they can become distracted and not do as well on their assignment. “Make sure they do homework in an environment that is set up for success,” Schrick said.
For more information on family life, visit https://www.uaex.uada.edu/life-skills-wellness/personal-family-well-being/family-life-fridays-blog/.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu
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