So now that most of the schools are over, mothers are quite relieved that finally there would be a routine while children may be feeling a bit of anxiety on getting back to school. With a little planning and organization from your side, he could be well prepared and even look forward to school or else approach going to school with reluctance, and even, resentment.

The first thing is getting your child’s routine in order as in holidays there is none like when to wake up, when to eat, what to eat, when to bathe, when to sleep et cetera. All these timings have to be reorganized into a system. There is nothing more detrimental to a child’s enthusiasm to going to school than being forced to wake up early in the morning. Being forced to get up and get ready while he is still sleepy is sure to make him cranky and resent going to school. Get your child wakes up well in time to get comfortably out of sleep before he starts getting ready, not only would it make the task of getting him ready easier but would also ensure that he goes to school in good spirits.

An alternative way is using an interesting early morning activity as an excuse to get him out of bed. There are many activities to choose from -early morning nature walks with dad, early morning swimming or tennis classes, bird watching, gardening, learning to read the morning newspaper something on those lines. Or, you could pass on some of the household chores to him like walking the family dog, helping you water the plants or even opening the door to the milkman. You need to get him to take an afternoon nap, if he has been doing so during regular school days, and get to bed early at night as well to establish a complete sleeping and waking up cycle. Switch off all modes of entertainment, switch off lights in the lobby, kitchen and sitting areas, and have them in night pajamas and finally tucking them in their bed.

Having a late and leisurely breakfast, munching at odd hours and eating junk are all part and parcel of holiday enjoyment. Good eating habits have to be inculcated and form a very important part of the overall growth and development of a child. If you don’t inculcate the right habits, you would probably have a kid who refuses to have anything before going to school and be sneaking on his packed lunch in between classes. Give him a healthy snack, a glass of milk with a banana or an egg sandwich or whatever that he would normally be eating before catching his bus to school, a little after he wakes up. Similarly, serve breakfast at the time he would be having his snack break in school, lunch at the time when he would be getting back from school, a glass of milk and a light snack in the evening and an early dinner, to get him in bed well in time.