On The Defender Podcast, Lynn Beckett joined Herbie Newell to discuss transitioning children from summer to a new school year. Preparing for a new school year can be daunting, but Lynn gave practical, helpful tips for caregivers. Lynn is a vital part of Lifeline’s Counseling and Education team and helps families navigate post-adoption challenges and issues that arise.

Children from traumatic backgrounds tend to thrive better in structured, predictable environments. Therefore, they may favor the more structured school year over unpredictable summer days. However, the newness and change of a new school year can be challenging for these children.

Practical Tips for Establishing a School Routine

To help ease this transition, Lynn recommends using the following tips to get back into a scheduled routine. Caregivers should begin preparing for a new school year one to two weeks before school starts:

1. Adjust bed and wake times. Move to the times that your child will use when school starts.
2. Ensure adequate rest. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that children between ages 5 and 12 receive 10-11 hours of sleep each night. Teenagers should receive 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep every night. Make sure your child is receiving proper rest to help set him/her up for success.
3. Practice the morning routine. Make sure your child is aware of expectations. For younger children, a pictorial schedule will help them remember what happens every day and how they can do their part. You can use a written chart for older children. Post these charts in a prominent place. Prepare clothing, backpacks, lunches, and other items the night before so children (and parents) are not rushed.
4. Prepare for a healthy breakfast. Enlist your child’s help in making a list of items they like for breakfast. Ensure there is a good protein included to start the day, and be flexible if needed. For example, if your child will only eat hotdogs, a hotdog for breakfast is better than most surgery cereals. Because trauma alters brain and body chemistry, these children benefit greatly from protein. Adequate protein fills their tummies for longer periods of time and assists in keeping blood sugar levels more stable.
5. Prepare for healthy snacks. Make sure snacks are healthy and contain protein. However, work with your child to make sure they have snacks they will actually eat. Buy ahead or prepare ahead so you can grab it on the go.
6. Anticipate the unexpected. Consider role-playing unexpected situations such as discovering laundry is not clean (choosing another shirt) or that the first choice for breakfast is no longer available (choosing an alternate).
7. Prepare for the return home. Stock up on water, healthy snacks, chewing gum, and suckers for the car. These items will help prevent blood sugar drops and help children work out the anxiety they encountered during the day.
8. Adjust traditional expectations. Some families are accustomed to doing homework before playing. However, children may need to work out the stresses of the day and bring their cortisone levels down before being able to focus on homework. Consider having play time with good proprioceptive movement, such as running, biking, swinging, and trampoline time. Then, follow this time with calming activities, including 10-20 minutes to reconnect with your child by talking about their day.
9. Start limiting screen time. The lights and stimulation from screens can inhibit the ability to rest and learn, especially for children whose brains have been affected by trauma.

Lynn and Herbie discussed more practical actions that parents can take to prepare for a new school year, such as helping your child become accustomed to a new school or grade, advocating for your child, and working with teachers and schools to be more friendly to children from foster care and adoption. Listen to the full podcast here!

If you have questions or concerns and would like to talk with Lynn or another specialist at Lifeline, please call us at 205-967-0811 or email us here.