12 Step Back to School Readiness Program

1. Everyone must sleep in their own beds

Now I know there are families out there who very successfully live a bed-sharing lifestyle. And for them, I'm sure that is great. But for my household, having junior in the bed with mom and dad is a bad summer habit that must be broken immediately. It inevitably leads to middle of the night story-telling, song singing, and all-around sleep disturbing. Such nocturnal behaviors are not disastrous in and of themselves, but bed-sharing can be a gate-way drug to the more habit forming - sleeping late.

2. Sleeping late must end immediately

When you're up in the middle of the night reminiscing about that funny scene in Cinderella where Bruno chases Lucifer (a riot!), then you most likely are not going to be an early riser. While it's okay to be a little late to Vacation Bible School, the pre-school teachers are not going to enjoy that rolling in whenever attitude, and I'd suspect that elementary teachers like it even less.

3. Set a bed time - and don't wait for the sun to go down

If you've completed step #1, but you're still having a problem sticking to step #2, perhaps you need to enforce this third step. Your kids have surely gotten to see fireflies at least once this summer - buy some room-darkening curtains and send those tots off to bed!

4. Begin to cut back on t.v. time

Summer days are long, and when the camps and park playdates begin to dwindle, many moms turn to increased television time to get that much needed break - both for themselves and for the kids. But if you've got a little one in your household like my two and a half year old who would live, sleep, and breathe t.v. if he could, then the time to cut back is now. The last thing that you want is for your pre-schooler to throw a tantrum the first day of school when he finds out there will not be a mid-morning showing of Dora or Diego.

5. Begin to reintroduce alone time

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6. Reinforce self-sufficiency

The majority of kids have been spending the summer in a child to adult ratio of 2:1 or 3:1. It can be quite a rude awakening to realize that first day of school that they will be competing with 15 to 20 other kids for the attention of one or two teachers. Start enforcing alone time during the afternoon space that used to be inhabited by a nap, and not only will your child find creative ways to pass the time on their own, but you'll get that much needed break time to fill out back to school paperwork, shop for school clothes on-line, or even rest.

In the same respect, kids need to be reminded that they can be self-sufficient. Many of us pick up the slack during the summer because the time crunch isn't pressing us to push the kids to help out, but now is the time to remind your kids of the things they can do - pour their own cereal, help little brother with his shoes, take the bowls and cups to the sink. It will get them ready for classroom jobs and help speed up your morning routine.

7. Stop skipping the necessities

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8. Start practicing the niceties

Many of us have found ourselves allowing the kids to skip the occasional morning tooth-brushing or face washing because we're "just going to the park" (and we're already 20 minutes late!). So that kids don't negatively associate good grooming habits with attending school, start being a stickler about the little things that matter. It's also a great time to revisit some basic manners that can fall by the wayside in the relaxed days of summer. "Please", "thank you", and no longer belching at the table are wonderful places to start.

9. Take stock of what you still need to do to get your child school-ready

If this is the first year of school for your little one, you may need to work on some skills before that big first day. Has your child ever had to drink juice out of a dixie cup? Can he put his own coat or shoes on? Can he balance three left-over goldfish on a paper plate while walking to the garbage can? Life in the classroom is often very different from the routines you follow at home, so the more things you introduce before September comes, the easier the transition will be.

10. Start reading those back to school books

Now is the time to take that trip to the library and find those back to school books that will help your child get ready for the change in weather and routine. Just as the beach books got everyone excited for summer last May, the librarian should be able to lead you again to the best books to help your child make a smooth transition.

11. Encourage the kids to stick to a quicker pace

The hazy, lazy days of summer are wonderful for us all. Long breakfasts with ten minute delays to retell the story of the trip to the zoo the day before. Slow lunches with mom taking time to read a book or two - at the table. But as unfortunate as it is, kids are not given long periods of time at school to eat snack and lunch, transition from one activity to the other, or linger over tasks of their own choosing. Try setting a timer on the stove if your kids will no longer eat their meals in a reasonable amount of time, or lavish them with praise when they make it to the car on time - for the first time this summer. You'll be happy you did when they don't come home that first week of school with half of their lunch still in their backpack.

12. Start to prepare yourself!

Have you been taking long showers in the morning while the kids played quietly in their rooms? Have you allowed the clean laundry to remain in the baskets because finding a decent outfit quickly in the morning isn't a summertime necessity? Making the transition back into the hectic schedule of the fall is difficult for mommy, too, so perhaps an earlier wake up time or more organized chore schedule is in order. I know, I know, it's hard. But it can't stay summer for ever!