Writer’s Workshop: Getting Back on Schedule
An ice bucket
It’s back to school this week. The kids enter their 3rd term of the school year and it’s going to be a more busy term as the supplementary classes in school starts. The alarm clocks have to be set and school bags have to be packed. I’m glad that the kids are back in school as it gives me time to catch up with the backlog of work which I had accumulated due to the holidays.
Here are some tips on how I get the kids back on (school) schedule.
1) We still keep part of the daily schedule even on holiday.
I don’t believe that the sequence that we have been following through during school term should be tossed out of the window once the holidays arrive. The daily schedule however would be trimmed or adjusted to add in more fun and outdoor activities.
2) Finish all holiday homework before leaving on vacations.
This June holiday we brought the kids overseas. I insisted that all holiday homework which they had to get done be completed within the first week of holidays before we were off to enjoy ourselves. The kids too were to write journals on the places which they visited during their overseas trips.
3) Slowly ease the kids back into the study routine.
To get the kids back into the studying mode we started doing academic revision during the 4th week of the school holidays. It was time to get back to the books and revise/recall what they had learned the previous term. I also removed all their late night privileges and they were made to go to bed based on their regular school night timing. This gave their bodies enough time to get back to sleeping earlier and waking up early.
How do you ease your kids back into their school routine?
July 4, 2013 @ 3:23 pm
Hi there, I’m visiting form the UBC and really enjoyed your post. I look forward to reading more over the next month. I think you’ve got some interesting tips on getting the kids back into routine. Tomorrow is the last day for my little one before 8 weeks holiday and my big one has already been off for 2 weeks, bringing his total to 10! It’s definitely a challenge getting them back into early morning starts at the end of this. I always try to introduce earlier nights etc over the last couple of weeks but somehow it never really works! On the otherhand I’m strict with homework and they do some revision every week of the holiday.
July 4, 2013 @ 4:28 pm
I think one of the challenges of easing children back to school is sustaining their enthusiasm for “education” and letting them realize that life can’t be filled with holidays all of the time. In our home front, I allow them access to the pc, i.e. internet; as long as they have completed their assignments, and that we were on an agreement that they will be on it for a limited amount of time.
July 4, 2013 @ 6:34 pm
What sound advice for parents.
July 4, 2013 @ 7:39 pm
Great advice. I like the idea of finishing homework before leaving on vacation..Thanks!:)
July 4, 2013 @ 7:57 pm
Although we don’t stay on exactly the same schedule for the summer, about two weeks before school starts back we start “practicing” by getting up and getting ready early. I only have a second grader at this point, but when both my kids are older I may have to take more drastic measures.
July 4, 2013 @ 11:57 pm
Wow, back to school already? I don’t think that our house could handle that! Of course, my husband is a teacher, so we make lots of learning opportunities available during the ‘down time’. I’ll favorite this post and come back when school is nigh upon us!
July 5, 2013 @ 3:56 am
It’s great that your kids have passion in writing too. The travel journals that they made will be a precious memorabilia.
July 5, 2013 @ 9:03 am
love the idea on writting travel journal
July 5, 2013 @ 10:00 am
These are great tips.
July 6, 2013 @ 6:50 am
My kids are all grown, but I think you have some great advice there. I’m wondering where you live? The kids here got out of school about a month ago. I think they go back sometime in August. It’s funny, but when the kids are grown you don’t pay attention.
July 8, 2013 @ 2:29 am
We need routine around here… So badly. Makes everything and everyone happy!
July 9, 2013 @ 5:11 am
interesting school term dates. a month off in June?
Your advice seems perfect!
July 17, 2013 @ 3:38 am
Our Grandlittles go back to school the second week of August!
You are even quicker!
I do like the sense of schedule school creates for us all.
But it’s always Grand to have them around for the summer, too.
Thanks for a great link for the letter “G”.
A+