Vagaluz’s guide to waking children for the return to school

The summer holidays are full of lazy mornings when children can sleep in and there is no pressure to get up early. However, these stress-free starts to the day come to an abrupt end when school starts back and families are forced to rise early and scramble out the door. Children, in particular, can find this adjustment to their schedule very difficult. At Vagaluz we would like to provide some useful advice on how to get children ready for these early morning starts so that the back to school transition can go as smoothly as possible.

Keys to teaching your child how to get up early

1. Prepare your child for the early mornings                                                                        

During the summer, children often stay up a bit later and this accounts for them getting up later. However, if you need your child to get up earlier, you will need him or her to go to bed earlier. Start preparing your child for this change at least a week before school starts. Your child will likely show some resistance to the idea of having to go to bed earlier. Therefore, it is important to help him or her understand that sleep is vital to his or her health and well-being. Explain that getting enough sleep will help him or her feel good and will help him or her do well at school. 

2. Create a routine and give your child time to relax                                                                                                                              

Try to have dinner at a set time and make sure that your child has enough time to unwind and get ready for bed. Do not fill your child’s day with too many activities and allow him or her to have enough time to relax. Limit the use of electronics, especially before bedtime. Read to your child or encourage older children to read to themselves before bedtime. Not only does this improve children’s vocabulary, but it can also help them relax and feel sleepy.                                                                

3. Set the alarm clock to help your child adjust to the new schedule                                                                                                      

As previously mentioned, getting children to wake up early will not happen overnight and needs some preparation. At least a week before school starts, set the alarm clock to wake your child up an hour earlier than the time they have become accustomed to waking up at during the holidays. The next night, try making your child go to bed half an hour earlier than the time they’ve been going during the holidays.

On the second day, wake your child up half an hour earlier and make him or her go to bed thirty minutes earlier than the previous night. Sticking to this new schedule will help your child get into a routine and will prepare him or her for the early morning starts.                                                                                                                                                                                                            

4. Be organised and make mornings productive                                                                                                                                           

Make your child aware of tasks that he or she will have to complete in the morning to help things go smoothly. Ensure that your child has packed his or her schoolbag the night before so that there will be no last minute stress. For younger children, it is also a good idea to set out their school uniform the night before and instruct them that they must dress themselves as soon as they get up. Younger children may struggle slightly and slow things down. Have a look at Helpful tips for teaching your children to dress themselves for some useful advice. Perhaps your children could also empty the dishwasher. This will give them some responsibility and will also help enable everyone to leave the house on time for school.

If you follow these tips and prepare your children for the early mornings, we are sure that you and your children will have a successful start to the new academic year.