The transition from summer to the school year can be very stressful for many kids, as well as their parents. During the summer there are few schedules and places to be early in the morning. Also, many children have later bedtimes, which mean they like to sleep in later. Summertime is free time for many children. With school right around the corner, here are a few tips to help get into a routine and make the school year run smoothly.

• Have a bedtime for your children. You should start this at least one week before school begins, to help give your child time to adjust. Depending on how old they are it can range anywhere from 7:30-10. The average child, between 7-12 years old, needs about 10-11 hours of sleep. Teenagers need about 9. There will be less fighting in the morning if your child is well rested.

• The night before make sure they have their backpack organized and ready for the next day. If it is library day they need their library books, if it is gym day they may need their gym clothes.

• Have your child pick out the clothes they are going to wear the night before. This will save so much time in the mornings. You can even get dividers that hang in the closet and have your child pick out their clothes for the week on Sunday night. This will free up your evenings during the week.

• If your child moves slow in the mornings, you can set timers and have time limits on how long they spend in the bathroom, or how long they have to eat breakfast. They need to be done each step of their morning by a certain time.

• Don’t let your child watch TV or play video games in the morning until they are completely ready. You will be surprised at how much faster they will move if there is a reward at the end. If they don’t get ready in time then they don’t get the reward.

A little organization on your part will help make the school year a success!