Setting Your Family Up For Success This School Year

Back-to-school or beginning school for the first time is often challenging for children and families starting early childhood education. Up to this point in the child’s life, they’ve likely been either inseparable from their parents or family members. Transitioning from homecare or daycare to an educational center can be a frightening thing not only for the child but the parent and guardian as well. It’s a big transition.

Over the years, as MT’s Family Visiting Coordinator,  I’ve identified five tips that families have implemented at the beginning of the school year that set them up for success for the remainder of the year!

1. Create a routine. Families thrive when they have a routine and are more likely to make transitions seamlessly. Keep a daily task schedule, and make sure wake-up, bedtime, and meal hours are consistent.
2. Reading time. Building time every day to read with your children can help improve their language, thinking and social-emotional development. It’s also a great opportunity to spend quality time together since you’re now apart during the day. Reading time doesn’t have to be a big chunk of time; it can be as short as 30mins per day before bed, while they’re in the bath or even during potty time! 
3. Sleep. Make sure your family has a consistent bedtime. Sleep is critical to children’s development. Children attending Early Childhood Education centers should get at least 10 hours of sleep every night so that they’re well rested and ready to take on the school day.
4. Eat Breakfast! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s meant to give you the nutrients and energy to start the day. Children should eat a nutrient-rich breakfast every morning. Eating breakfast improves a child’s attention span, focus and memory! Great breakfast options include whole wheat waffles, yogurt, and oatmeal. Martha’s Table’s Lobby Markets are a great resource for fruits and vegetables that can be incorporated into a breakfast recipe.
5. Be Kind to Yourself. Transitions aren’t easy, and it’s important to remember that. As a parent/guardian, you’re doing your best and your child knows that!

These tips take practice, but their impact is transformational. Through Martha’s Table’s Family Visiting program, my team is able to see families grow and thrive in real time as they put these tips and other tools into action. 

As an Early Head Start-funded program, Family Visiting focuses on empowering parents and guardians to build secure relationships with their children and create high-quality learning environments as their child’s first teacher. Each family is partnered with a family visitor who they meet with virtually on a weekly basis for about 90 minutes to discuss child development activities, goals, and any resources they may need. This also includes communication between visits regarding updates, scheduling, and other things that may come up. The Family Visiting program is open to any pregnant moms and parents/caregivers with children under 3 years old living in Ward 7 or 8. Please click here to enroll in our Family Visiting Program.