7 Tips to Make the First Day of School a Breeze – Including the Ideal Bedtime
THAT very first trimester can be stressful and scary, not just for little ones, but for their parents too.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. A babysitter comes to the rescue with seven simple tips and tricks that will make your family’s first day of school a breeze.
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Whether you’re a parent of a school-age child, or know someone who is, or perhaps your mini-self is feeling a little anxious about the new chapter, nanny Amies is here to share some advice that will make the adjustment period easier.
On TikTok, the guru, @nanniestold us everything about everything – from bedtime to how much screen time is recommended.
Early to bed
Although this may seem like an obvious point, parents should ensure that their children, especially the youngest ones, get enough sleep and rest.
According to the expert, who has helped many children with school, children should go to bed at 7 p.m., “turn off the lights” and get 12 hours of rest to be productive the next day.
In the videoThe mother also said she knows many parents whose five-year-olds go to bed at 9 p.m., which she did not recommend.
Routine is essential
Not only does the routine at school play a major role in their development and growth; it is equally important to maintain a routine at home.
Once home, the child should be exposed to a “predictable routine,” such as sitting down, having a drink and eating something before doing anything else.
Refuel
“We have to replenish their physical systems before we can expect their emotional systems to handle the rest of the day.
“There’s so much expected of them during the school day, so much more than ever before. So it’s clearly a shock to the system.”
Support
Although life is certainly not easy for adults, especially when you have a little one to care for, children have not yet developed the logical thinking skills to deal with their emotions.
To ensure they don’t get overwhelmed by all the constant changes in their new lives, the nanny advised parents to tell their children to relax and catch their breath when they need to.
Screen time
Avoiding screens, whether it’s a tablet, phone or TV in the living room, is virtually impossible these days.
But while watching programs, be it an educational documentary or a cartoon, is not harmful – it’s about balance, the expert stressed.
“Our brains can only process a limited amount of information. If they have already taken in a million bits of information through their eyes into their brains after a day, that is simply too much.”
Monitor the environmental stimulus
If you notice that your child is “particularly sensitive to certain things,” the parenting expert advises you to pay close attention to what is happening at home.
“There could be pasta cooking on the stove, there could be smells, there could be sounds, the dog could be barking, Alexa could be pinging, the TV could be on – it’s all too much for our brains to process.
“And some kids really struggle with that. They might be dehydrated because they haven’t had a drop of water all day. Make sure they have something to drink.
Back to School Deals
SEVERAL major supermarkets and retailers are set to launch their uniform clearance sale.
Prices for the bundles and deals start from just £5
Chains offering cheap children’s uniforms include Aldi, Marks and Spencer and Tesco.
Asda
Asda’s George range includes the following key items:
Boys uniform
- 2 Pack Polo Shirt – Regular Fit or 2 Pack Short Sleeve Shirt – From £3
- 2 Pack Slim Leg Adjustable Waist Trousers – From £8
- 2-pack basic sweatshirt – from £5
- Black Double Strap Cup Sole School Shoes – From £10
Girls uniform
- 2 Pack Scallop Polo Shirt – Regular Fit or 2 Pack Short Sleeve Shirt – From £3
- 2 Pack Pleated Skirt – From £8
- 2 Pack Basic Vest – From £8
- 2 Pack Short Sleeve Shirts – From £5
- 2 Pack White Short Sleeve School Polo Shirts – From £3
Peacocks
Discount fashion chain Peacocks is offering a 20% discount on its budget uniform range in all stores from July 28.
The children’s uniform is available for children from 2-3 years up to and including 14-15 years, a new age category for this year.
Key points include:
- Children’s Blouse – £5/£6/£7
- Children’s polo 2-pack – £6/£7/£8
- Kids Skinny Trousers – £9/£10/£11
- Kids Bootcut Trousers – £9/£10/£11
- Kids Bengaline Super Skinny Trousers – £8/£9/£10
MADAM
M&S has been offering the same prices on school uniforms since 2021 and has confirmed that its popular 20% early bird discount on school uniforms will be back in place from 2 July.
You can get a discount by shopping online or in stores where the uniform is in stock.
Some examples of the range are:
- From £7 for a 3-pack of 100% responsibly sourced cotton unisex polo shirts, with stain resistant technology
- From £11 for 2-pack of boys slim leg school trousers
- From £12 for 2 pack of girls pleated school aprons
Tesco
Tesco is introducing another 25% discount on uniforms this year. The sale starts on 23rd July.
It usually doesn’t take long to work, so it might be a good idea to stock up while you can.
Make sure you have your Tesco Clubcard or app to hand when you get to the checkout so the discount is applied.
Tesco has not yet announced exactly which items are on offer.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s says it has left prices unchanged for 2022 school uniforms.
The 25% discount promotion is reportedly set to launch on June 19.
Last year you could buy two packs of polo shirts from £3, trousers from £4 and two packs of gingham dresses from £10 online and in stores.
“Dehydration is a major cause of irritability.”
While there are a “million reasons” why this happens, the nanny said there are ways to deal with the frustration, such as “dealing with certain behaviors appropriately.”
“We will not allow aggression, verbal aggression or disrespect […] slide – we want to deal with it, but calmly and with understanding.
Practice to build tolerance gradually
Over time, when given the right tools, the “little bodies” will get used to the new chapter in their lives.
“There’s life at the end of the tunnel,” she chuckled.
