With a new school year approaching, ease your children’s transition from lazy summer days to their regular fall schedule using the tips below: 

• Re-establish Sleep Patterns: After long hours of daylight, staying up late to game or binge watch TV or irregular schedules due to travel, kids may have gotten out of school-time sleeping mode. Start the process now by setting bedtimes and morning alarms, then moving both up in 15 or 30 minutes increments every few days. For every time change, add a new element of evening or morning routines such as bathing/showering, choosing outfits, reading time or pet care.

• Reboot Eating Habits: Activities, meals on the go and special treats can impact healthy eating habits and if the kids have been home all day this summer, they may be used to grabbing a snack whenever they feel hungry. Just like bedtimes, ease back into a school-related schedule for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Slowly replace fruit and veggies as everyday snacks and limit availability to help make the transition easier, especially for small children.

• Start Stocking Supplies: Get all the essentials for a successful school year organized early. Print out a list of necessary supplies now and add a few items to your shopping list each week (watching for sales can also help your budget!). Steadily checking off items now means you won’t be scrambling for last-minute supplies right before school starts. Packing each child’s school bag several days in advance of your school start date is another stress eliminator.  

• Motivate and Give Support: Allowing kids to make their own decisions is another way to get them back into the rhythm of the school year. Encourage them to make small decisions about which back-to-school supplies to purchase, snacks items to keep on hand or even setting up the transitional bedtime schedule if appropriate.  

With some early planning and effort, you can help your children get back into the school groove this fall with ease.