Less is more, especially when it comes to stress. If your family is preparing to get back into a routine after the holidays or simply looking for ways to streamline day-to-day life, CGMS is here to help you all feel a bit more organised and a little less stressed out.
Seven steps to stress less:
- Spot check: Check that all essential school items are in good order and well labelled.
- Grab ‘n go: Organise school bags, PE kit and any extra-curricular items to grab at the door the evening before school.
- Looking good: Set out clothes the night before (don’t forget the shoes!)
- Meal prep: Place all packed lunch items in one place for quick completion in the morning and plan for an easy but nutritious breakfast, such as instant oats or scrambled eggs on toast.
- Let it be known: Create a schedule for the week, including times for morning departures from home and after-school pick-up points – and place it in a common area, such as on the fridge door, for all to see and remember.
- Table talk: Start a conversation about how the week is going, what everyone is looking forward to, and simple ways to reduce stress and set short-term goals.
- Hit the hay: Get an early night: Young kids need 9 to 12 hours of sleep while teens should have between 8 and 10 hours.
Let little hands help
Got little ones? Why not ease them into the new school year by enlisting their help with preparations, such as sticking on labels, packing books into bags and gathering together snacks and fruit for their lunchbox.
In fact, giving children age-appropriate responsibilities on an ongoing basis – particularly chores they choose – can provide rhythm and stability to help them thrive, as the Harvard Study of Adult Development found. So, if you’re looking to reinforce some much-needed structure after the holidays, a gentle introduction of responsibilities might just give your kids an added boost.
Looking for more helpful information from CGMS? Keep your eye on our blog for new posts, coming soon.