A NANNY has revealed her top tips for helping a child settle into school after the holidays and the scary reason why those adorable 'first day of school' snaps should be banned.
Kathryn Lord, 36, looked after billionaire families for eight years, and in that time has helped plenty of children return to the classroom after the long summer break.
Speaking to Fabulous, Kathryn, from Kew, said: “I have worked for billionaire families as a nanny, children from deprived backgrounds in schools and everything in between, and there are some essential tips for families going back to school to make your routines easier.”
Here Kathryn, who still nannies part-time now and is the author of More to Organising, shares her top five pieces of advice…
1. Make a list with words and pictures for your child for their uniform
Empower them to be responsible for setting out their uniform the night before.
Although they don’t have much choice, choosing whether to wear a skirt or a pinafore, socks or tights gives them some autonomy.
Label everything!
2. Add a heart to their uniform
Draw a heart underneath their sleeve and let them choose the colour.
This means they can look at the heart throughout the day to remind them that you love them.
3. Make a packed lunch station
Create a section in the fridge with smoothies, suckie yoghurts, fruit and veg to make packing the lunch even easier.
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When they get bored of sandwiches, have a thermos and pop in last night's leftovers for a lovely warm lunch.
Perfect for when the autumn days get colder.
4. Create routines
A good bedtime routine will ensure they get enough sleep to have fun and learn at school.
Plan homework and reading time in and don’t leave it to the day before.
Make sure they have had a snack and downtime before starting.
Create a plan of healthy brain food for breakfast (not sugary cereals).
Make a spot for sports bags and as soon as they are washed, pop them straight back in the bag.
5. Plan in rest
In the first few weeks, our children will be exhausted.
After school, create a calm time with low expectations.
What not to do…
Don’t send in precious items, or any item in fact, it is likely to get lost, dirty or broken.
Don’t share a photo of your child in uniform next to your door online, there are too many nuggets of information you are giving away.
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Don’t ask them how their day has been, and don’t ask as soon as they walk out of school.
Ask them specific questions and perhaps wait until they have has time to decompress.
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