Back to School Tip: Create a Family Schedule

School will begin soon. As your family slowly turns to a new, exciting school year, consider this exercise to establish a schedule by actively having children participate in creating it so they own the need for the transition, understand their responsibilities, and feel empowered by the planning experience. Have a brainstorming session to create a list of tasks and activities to be done in the morning, at midday (if necessary), and during the evening, so a “master schedule” can be created. Spend 20-30 minutes collecting ideas—all ideas are welcome. Suggest times for waking up, going to bed, departing for school, arrival at home, chores, extracurricular activities, breakfast, packing lunches, making beds, brushing teeth, feeding and walking pets, laying out clothes, bathroom schedules, etc. After sufficient time, create the schedule and plug all the information into it. Everyone gets a copy. Bonus: Your children will learn about brainstorming and its value years before being taught it in school.


 

Tracy Bussey | 8/4/2016