Your back to school routine

Remember the first day of school? Picking out the perfect outfit, getting ready to hear about everyone’s adventures and prepping you “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” essays? This year is going to look a little (or a lot) different for your children, and that’s understandably a bit daunting. Whether your little ones are going back to school in person or learning online, routine is key to helping your family stay grounded.

Why is routine good for children?

Children and adults alike crave routine to stay healthy, physically and mentally. “Regular routines and a predictable schedule are better for children’s emotional health,” says Dr. Paula Rauch on Harvard Health Publishing. That’s because the predictability of the routine makes them feel safe and secure, the doctor explains. This is because a routine means your child knows what to expect — no surprises. That sense of knowing what’s coming is comforting to them (and probably to you, too). And what better time than now to help your children feel safe?

What sorts of routines can you keep in place to help your child?

Routines are not quite the same as a schedule. A schedule is the bigger picture planning, but routines are those small, day-to-day practices that help keep you on track.

• If your child is learning from home, dedicate a specific space in the home for their learning. Maybe it’s one seat at the table that’s only for lessons, or, if you have the space, a dedicated part of another room (mini home office!) use this space only for school time.
• Ahead of school starting, start getting your child back into their school schedule like proper bedtime.
• Whether they’re going in person or virtually, make sure to dress for success! Even though your child may be learning from a screen, make sure they get their school clothes ready the night before and no sweat pants, even if it’s distance learning. Help create an environment conducive to learning.
• Make mask wearing fun with a kiddo-friendly print that they pick out themselves.
• Try to get them used to wearing a mask now, before they start school.
• Before leaving for school in the morning, go through a checklist of the items you think your child needs to keep safe including an extra mask, Hand Sanitizer (young children should only use Hand Sanitizer with adult supervision), and we recommend Hand Butter or something similar to protect their skin from dryness after all that washing. See the whole Back To School Essentials collection

Feeling stressed? Remember to take care of YOU right now

You’ve got to put your own oxygen mask on before you help others, right? Make sure to take the time to check in with yourself.

Rocky hack: spritz some Calm Down spray onto your own mask to keep you grounded throughout the day.

Take a deep breath … Pranayama Breathwork sounds complicated, but this is so simple that it only takes 30 seconds, and you can do it anywhere, anytime. Get extra calming power by using some Serenity Oil blend or Stress Away Balm on your palms.

Protip: This kind of deep breathing actually taps into the vagus nerve and activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps turn off your stress reaction.

Remember to check in with yourself. This tip came from Canmore-based registered psychologist, Dr. Melissa Jay. You can read our full Q&A with her on the blog.

How are you prepping for back to school?