*I’m a PediaSure SideKicks Partner and am a sponsored blog partner, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.
Can you believe we’re talking First Day of School already?!!? It’s so funny to find out that parents kind of feel the same way about it as kids do (I never realized when I was a kid) – not wanting the summer to end but also a little excited about the new schedule and changing of the seasons.
I also never realized as a kid how stressful the first day of school can be for a parent! So much to worry about from making sure they have everything they need to crossing our fingers they’ll have a friend in the lunch room.
Today, I’ve asked our contributor, Kristin, who just happens to be a former 1st grade teacher, to share her best tips on having a successful first day back.
I love her ideas, especially #5, such a smart way to help ease your child’s anxieties!
My kids have been out of school for a month now and we’re at the half-way point, we have another month to swim and play. But there are parts of the country where the first day of school is right around the corner!
No matter where you are at this summer, though, most likely kids are thinking about school. Even if school is a schedule you’ve kept for several years, anticipation of the first day can affect children in a variety of ways.
I asked my kids about some of the things they are nervous about on the first day of school. Some of their fears were that they would have trouble making friends or they wouldn’t be able to find the friends they haven’t talked to over the summer. They worried about having a nice teacher and keeping up with the homework.
If it’s the very first day of kindergarten, children might worry about things that we wouldn’t even think about, like where to put their backpack or how to find the bathroom.
New experiences can be scary. But, as a former teacher, I can offer a few simple tips that will start your year off great
Conquering the First Day of School Jitters
#1 Take a Tour of the School Before the First Day
You can call and make an appointment to have a tour of the school and meet some of teachers that are on campus. It might not be your child’s teacher, but just meeting friendly adults will ease your child’s first day jitters.
Walking around the campus can help your child find the lunch area, the playground and the bathrooms. Some schools have this type of tour pre-arranged with enrollment, but if your school doesn’t, make sure to make an appointment with the school office over the summer.
And if you have your phone with you, take some photos and use them to put together a Preparing for School Photo Book.
#2 Eat a Healthy Breakfast
This might seem simple, but just like you would eat a solid breakfast before a big day on the job, your child needs a solid breakfast to have the energy to make it through their big day.
To really maximize this meal, check out our list of The Best Breakfasts for School Brain Power. And if you barely have time before running out the door each morning (we’ve all been there!) enlist the help of PediaSure Sidekicks. A healthy smoothie with fruits and vegetables is the perfect way to start the day.
#3 Pack a Healthy Lunch
I know I’m being redundant here, but good nutrition affects our ability to handle difficult situations. It’s also comforting to have a lunch that children would eat at home in the new, unfamiliar setting.
Some of the things that I like to pack in my kids’ lunches beyond sandwiches are fresh fruit, muffins packed with sneaky vegetables like my Zucchini Muffins, and fruit and nuts.
Along with sneaking vegetables in the muffins, I also sneak vegetables into the sandwiches! It’s so simple.
Just mix 1 scoop of the PediaSure smoothie powder into 1/4 cup of jam. Make your peanut butter and jelly sandwich as you usually would. A mom’s gotta be sneaky sometimes!
#4 Get a Good Night of Sleep
Having consistent bed times for your children help them develop healthy sleep patterns. We all know how we feel when we are well-rested versus how grumpy we can feel if we didn’t get enough sleep. Healthy brains need sleep, so a solid 8 hours will do wonders in helping your child conquer the first day of school.
#5 Plan Out the Day with Your Child
I like to sit with my kids and talk over what will happen. We start the night before by laying out their clothes and prepping their back pack. Then, we go over the schedule. It’s much like going over our daily planner before a busy day in the office.
We walk through the times of day and what they will be doing at each block of time. Knowing what will happen next helps our children relax and know they don’t have to worry.
I hope your kids’ first day of school is amazing! Learning is such a fun experience and taking the time to make sure your child is well prepared will pay off in spades.
To learn more about PediaSure SideKicks Fruit & Veggie Smoothie mix, visit PediaSure.com or check out their Facebook Page. And check out our other favorite recipes using the mix:
*Pediasure partnered with bloggers such as me for its PediaSure SideKicks Fruit & Veggie Smoothie Program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. PediaSure believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. PediaSure’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
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Kristin