Windermere Professional Partners

5 Important Tips for Transitioning Kids from Summer to Back-to-School

August 31, 2017
Last updated September 12, 2019

After the carefree days of summer, it can be hard to get back into the routine of school, homework, extracurriculars, earlier bedtimes, and homework. And when we say “hard,” we really mean downright tough!

A few local parents were kind enough to share their tips for transitioning kids from summer to back-to-school, and we hope you’ll find these tips useful in making the switch as seamless as possible!

1. Ease kids back into their school sleeping schedules.

Sandy McKenzie recommends doing this at least 1-2 weeks before school starts. “It keeps their bodies from going into shock that first week or so of school,” she laughs. Especially if your child is starting at a new school that may have an earlier start time, it’s important to prepare their bodies ahead of time so they can pay attention in class. (Plus, it makes them easier to wake up in the morning!)

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2. Stay on top of that medical to-do list.

Carli Santa Cruz highly recommends getting your sports physicals out of the way as soon as possible, so you don’t have to scramble at the last minute. Carli shares that you can even get a sports physical at urgent care: “Walk in! Or check in online and wait at home until they text you,” she shares. Sounds like Sandy’s also on top of it: “Our pediatrician got smart long ago and started giving us the paperwork when they go in for their yearly checkups. They're good for a year, so we're always up to date!” Good thinking!

Carli also recommends making sure your kids’ shots are current and that you have a printout of their shot records. Whether or not your school needs it, it’s a good idea to have those things for your own records.

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3. Purchase ASB cards ahead of time.

If your kids’ school has an orientation or an opportunity to purchase ASB cards, that’s an easy task to get out of the way! Carli Santa Cruz recommends doing it as soon as possible so you don’t have to worry about it later.

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4. Continue your kids’ education during the summer.

While this summer is almost over, you can keep this one in mind for next summer. “The teachers from the school where my children go always recommend continuous learning at home during the summer since they say 40-60% of what they learn from the past school year fades away during the summer,” says Sheryll Tan.

“So everyday of the summer (I'm lucky if they religiously do it everyday, I'd be happy if they do at least four times a week), I check on them that they have done some reading, some math and some practicing of their musical instrument (about 2-3 hours of all these) so that their brain cells will be easier to ‘wake up’ once school starts. Of course, it becomes an exception when we are out on vacation.” Not only will this prevent the inevitable “I’m bored!” complaints during the long days of summer, but it makes the transition back to school all that much easier.

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5. Make back-to-school a special time and hide a love note in their lunch or binder.

“Write a love note somewhere hidden in their binder or notebook for them to find unexpectedly in the future,” recommends Carli Santa Cruz. Whether it’s their first day of kindergarten or their first day of 12th grade, a sweet note is sure to make them smile!

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