From Summer to School Time!

August 18, 2011 By

Generally speaking homeschooling moms love the new school year.  They have planned, bought new school supplies for the kids, and have prepped their school rooms or area of the house for the exciting new school year.  However, your children may not be as excited.  They have just had a fun summer of swimming, camping, vacations, later bedtimes, or just good old fashioned outside playing.    The last thing most of our kids want to do is start school and often even the ones who are excited, the excitement wears off in a hurry when they realize the new schedule and school work is here to stay.

What can we do to help our children adapt to their new schedule and transition from summer to school time?  Here are some tips that have helped my family.

  1.  Start the year slow.  You do not have to do every subject right away.  The curriculum that we use keeps that in mind and we may only start a couple of subjects the first week.  This helps the kids get into the grove of school work again slowly without overwhelming them or you.   Maybe just start with math and writing or history and science.  Whatever you feel is the most exciting for your kids.
  2. End the first couple of weeks early, allow outside time while the weather is still nice (this is especially nice for us families that experience winters)  This  helps our kids that love to be outdoors, once they get school work done they know they have some outside time to look forward to.
  3. Have something fun the first day or the first week that the kids can really be excited about.  We do a big box of doughnuts from the bakery the 1st day of school! It is the only day of the year we do this and the kids can’t wait.  I also put a special container at their table every year with some fresh school supplies and a personal note from mom to them about how excited I am to be starting another school year with them.
  4. Have a great attitude, the old saying.  “If mama isn’t happy, no one is happy” is very true.  We set the tone of our day and our year.  Try to stay positive even when the kids start to grump can help.  Let your kids know that you are excited about this time with them.  A joyful heart often wears off on others.
  5. Be organized and ready to go with your books, worksheets, and supplies.  If you spend your first couple of days digging things out while you are trying to start school, you often lose the children’s attention who has not adjusted to sitting since the last school ended.
  6. Most of all, pray!  Pray that God blesses your children, the school year and the attitudes.  Pray that God helps them adjust, HE cares about it all, and nothing is too small to ask of HIM!

We have to remember as moms that adjusting from summer to school time can be a challenge for our kids but they will adjust.  They may need a little patience and grace at the beginning but in no time they will be on their way to a new schedule and a great school year.

What do you do to help your kid’s transition from summer to school time?

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24 Comments | Filed Under: Homeschooling
About Angela Richter

Angela is a wife and work at home homeschooling mom to three children. She is a speaker and a blogger who has a real heart for encouraging moms in homeschooling, parenting, and connecting with their children. You can find Angela at Mom with Heart or on Twitter.

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  • Kym Thorpe

    Great tips! I like to start the schoolyear gradually as well – just a couple of subjects the first week, then add the rest over the next two weeks. I encourage my kids to work ahead so we can build on the successes and confidence in that first week or two where it’s “easy” Often we start the year with a fun unit study for History or Science before going to the main curriculum.

    • Angela Richter

      Kym, LOVE these ideas! It helps to start slow, doesn’t it?

      • Lisa Poirier

        WONDERFUL TIPS! Great article. I can’t wait to get together ~ I always get such great ideas and encouragement from you! Love you, Lisa

  • http://twitter.com/Nikt3 Nikki Tibbetts

    Great tips! I think I have everything under control except for #5 – I am still working on that one. :) I’ll get there. Pray for me!

    • http://www.angelasanalysis.com Angela

      Trust me, I am too! I have come a LONG way in the department but still do not feel like an organized person compared to some of my friends but with God’s grace I’m getting into a groove that works for me.

  • Traci
  • Missy

    We started our first day with a surprise. I went to Target and collected a few little things to start the year and a couple of items just for fun and put them in a new cartoon cup. They thought I gave them the world! Great start! We also build slowly on our curriculum for the first two weeks.

    • Angela Richter

      It is amazing how little we have to do that mean the world to the kids (they are not hard to please most of the time), so glad you had a great first day!

  • http://joyfulmothering.net Christin

    Excellent tips Angela!! I think I may just implement ALL of them as we need a little boost to get motivated. :) I esp. love the donut idea!!

    • Angela Richter

      My kids are already giving me their doughnut orders, LOL (we don’t start until the last week of August) but it does make it special since it is the ONLY time we do the fresh doughnut thing

  • Bllaconey

    Angela, thank you so much for these wonderful tips on how to start out the new school year. This is such an inspiration to me, as a mom and as my children’s teacher, when I am reminded by other moms what I already know, but fall short at times. I definitely will take it slow the first week or two. I also love the 3rd tip!! I definitely will do something fun to surprise my kids for the first week, and even throughout the year to keep them surprised. Thanks again!

    • Angela Richter

      Thanks so much for your kind words, they encourage me a great deal. It is amazing how creating a simple tradition (not expensive or fancy) can create great memories for your children, and makes the transition a little bit easier….

  • Cornelia

    Angela! What a WONDERFUL article! How wonderfully inspiring and affirming!

    You are a blessing to the home school community. We miss you at Greater Joy!

    Some years, if it works out in the budget, we plan to take the last two weeks of summer and make it a fun – “let’s get ready for school time.” We pick out fun school supplies, let them pick something to spruce up their old work space, get new haircuts before Co Op starts, and usually some new clothes since they have grown so much. It makes it feel like you are getting ready to go into a new exciting season. Trying to do this with a fun attitude rather than a, “we have to get this done before next week” attitude!

    Cornie

    • Angela Richter

      So great to see you here Cornie, we miss you guys too! Thanks for your sweet words, they bless me so much. Thanks too adding some GREAT ideas.

  • Cathy

    Thanks for the tips. I love the donut idea. I usually transition from summer to school year by having my boys make a wish list to end summer with a bang. They each make a list of things they want to do before school begins. I ask for the list early August and then we do a few things each week. They enjoy ending summer in a “check it off” way. :)

  • Lori

    Angela, Thanks for such wonderful tips! As I was reading this article, it only confirmed what I was thinking and now my creative juices are flowing even more. Thank you for being such a blessing. :)

  • http://thechaosandtheclutter.com Sharla K

    It’s true that this time of year can be a bit of a letdown for kids after a fun summer. I find that it is especially hard for them to get down to schoolwork if the weather is still nice. Great tips!

  • http://www.facebook.com/ndfreece November Freece

    Thanks for your encouraging words and helpful advice! :)

  • Angela Richter

    I LOVE this idea, great way to get the kids involved and for them to get some fun things in before the new year starts. Thanks for sharing!

  • jaime

    Great steps to a new year. Teachers at regular schools also have this excitement. They set up their classrooms and get ready and excited to meet their new students. They are also planning throughout the summer to have fun interesting plans for their students. And many of them pray to have a wonderful school year. Whether homeschooled or not, these steps are useful.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Angela-Richter/1632533801 Angela Richter

      Yes, your right. My sister in law teaches the 1st grade and we have fun sharing about our school years with each other. She is a great teacher and always very excited about meeting her new students!

  • http://www.facebook.com/CrazyHeifer Heather Lynn Brown

    Great advice! Thank you very much. :)

  • http://homeschoolblogger.com/brindamorr/ Catherine

    This is all great advice! We definitely make a big deal about the first day. I also like to do something with the boys on the day when all the kids go back to public school. I usually take them to lunch and a movie. It makes them feel special.